The Cursed Campione
by Phyre24
Summary: In a world of Gods and magic, Cain pays penance. For a tragedy he caused, he finds himself cursed to be forever shunned and reviled. With an arm that clearly tells his well-known tale, he survives in a world hell-bent on forcing conflict upon him. But after he meets the beautiful fairy-like knight Liliana Kranjcar, he's suddenly thrust into the spotlight as the newest Campione.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The night sky was alive. Bright, shining stars hung in the sky above a majestic Canadian forest. The wind casually blew through the trees surrounding a large, open clearing and their branches danced in recognition of this force. Suddenly, this wind began to grow in strength, until it gathered, swirling to form a tempest on the surface of a large rock lying in the middle of this clearing. Howls formed in the distance and drew near, voiced from the throats of the wolves living in the area.

Quickly, these voices grew in strength and volume as they came closer to the source of this disturbance. Out of the edges of the clearing, wolves of all sizes stalked out of the trees and gathered around the swirling funnel of wind. Rather than bristle in fear at the unnatural sight, they calmly sat themselves under the great rock. As the pack grew, so too did the ferocity of the tempest.

The wolves, in unison, rose from their sitting positions and began to howl. The sound produced was enough to chill the bones of anything to have heard it. Squirrels huddled in their tree trunks, rabbits cowered in their holes and birds took to the sky. Yet, the tempest had a much different reaction to this inhuman chorus. The wind swirled and a form began to take shape inside of its depths.

Suddenly, as quickly as it had come into existence, the whirlwind ceased. In its place was a beautiful woman with red hair that fell down to the small of her back. Her bright green eyes gazed forth from her perfect face. Within a somewhat small nose, flush, full lips and high cheekbones, shone the eyes of a hunter. Her perfect, voluptuous yet athletic body was covered in leather armour. Her armour was decorated with images depicting wolves and human hunters, chasing after their quarry. A crossed arrow insignia could be seen over her full bosom.

The beautiful woman smiled and swept her arms out wide to address her audience. Her beautiful, melodic voice spoke out over the silenced wolves, "My fellow hunters of the night, come with me and we shall rule over this forest. For my name is Artemis the Huntress and I crave battle." Her crowd howled once more in response and she smiled, yet, to any onlookers, it was a feral grin.

* * *

"There will be an eighth." came the abrupt announcement from a pair of beautiful lips. The men and women in attendance turned to the speaker with expressions of surprise. The speaker was a beautiful platinum-blonde woman in her twenties with sharp green eyes. She wore a fabulous white dress which accentuated her innate grace and poise. The woman sat in one seat of a large round table in a dark stone room. The only light was given off from the torches on the wall. It was a strangely medieval themed room for the twenty-first century.

Though, if one considered the fact that all inside were powerful magicians and witches, it would not seem so strange. The other seats of this great table were all occupied by people dressed in different styles of robes or high class attire. One man spoke up, his voice confused by her sudden interruption in their proceedings. "My apologies, Princess Alice, but what might you be referring to?" he said with a surprising tone of respect, seeing as she was some twenty-odd years his junior.

With unfocused eyes, the woman identified as Princess Alice declared "There will be an eighth devil king. To the west and north, a Heretical God is beginning to break through the barrier. There is one there who will slay this God and become the eighth godkiller. However, this one is... different."

To everyone who knew of her, she was obviously in one of her prophetic trances. The man who spoke prompted her on, unwilling to interrupt but desiring more information. "How is this new godslayer different, Princess Alice?" he asked, attempting to keep the ever-present fear that always accompanied discussing these dangerous devils out of his voice.

A light of recognition returned to her pale green eyes as the trance ended. With a grim expression, Alice responded to the ones gazing at her with apprehension. Gravely resolute, she said "The eighth Campione will be one who has sinned in the highest regard." Amongst the gasps of shock and dismay, she continued. "His actions ended with a tragedy and a curse that serves as a constant reminder of his deeds. In reaction to what he did, the magical world shunned him and cast him out. Due to this, he may help or harm us. We need to be prepared for the worst." With those ominous words of warning, the room erupted into action.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Somewhere else in the Canadian forest, smoke rose into the night sky. This smoke spewed forth from a chimney of a small, log cabin that lay in the midst of the trees. A house of simple yet effective design, the owner of which was currently residing in its one room interior. Huddled over a table covered in paper and piles of books, this figure was covered in a cloak as black as midnight. Underneath his cloak, a full set of leather armour could be seen. However, unlike the armour worn by the Goddess of the Hunt, his was worn and patched in places. Over this he wore a pocketed leather sash which sheathed three throwing knives and a larger dagger. Dangling from the beautifully designed golden chain around his neck, hung an iridescent crystal.

Cain reached up with his right arm and scratched at his short, blond hair as his blue eyes swept over the open book in front of him. Finishing the page, he stepped back from the cluttered table and slowed his breathing. To his right was his bed, no more than many skins and furs positioned into a comfortable sleeping arrangement, while to his left was a crackling fire. Shadows danced upon the walls as it lay feasting upon another log that had been thrown into its greedy maw.

He frowned in concentration and held both arms in front of him, sweeping the cloak behind him. When the cloak slipped over his left arm however, it revealed skin scarred beyond imagining. Somehow he still projected both arms forwards as he slowly began to chant. "Oh holy light of heaven, light mine path and guide me towards my goal" Cain said in a low tenor voice. He stood for several more moments in that pose before relaxing his body once more.

Unsurprisingly, he had failed once again. The teen shrugged his broad shoulders in defeat, expecting as much. Where blue flame should have appeared, the air had remained empty. He didn't have to look at the book to know that he had chanted correctly. Ever since the incident that caused him to be where he was today, even the simplest of spells were beyond him. He smiled sadly, knowing it was a futile gesture but also acknowledging that he had to try.

He was once a prominent Magical Knight of the Copper Black Cross from a powerful family with a bright future ahead of him, but a certain event caused by his arrogance had ended in tragic disaster and his disgraceful retreat from the spotlight. After being renounced and abandoned, he had used his knowledge to survive, acquiring and selling magical items for a profit. Travelling around the world searching for items of magical or divine quality, he soon became a valuable resource to many, though few would admit to dealing with him.

Gazing deeply at his scarred arm and clutching at that multicoloured gem around his neck remorsefully, Cain reflected on a past he deeply regretted. He touched the carved flesh and knew that this was his penance for stepping beyond his bounds, for being a fool. Shaking dark thoughts away, he once again leaned over the table and began reading the spellbook. Though he couldn't cast it himself, knowledge of spells was a powerful tool.

As his eyes scanned the pages, he felt something. Though he could not cast spells, his spirit sense could still detect something. Some strength was growing nearby. Closing the book, he reached towards his bed and retrieved the sword and belt leaning against the wall. Cain was once feared as one of the finest blades in his academy, though he tried his best to never use it. He preferred diplomacy over battle but it never hurt to be prepared.

Sadly, there were many times when his clients decided to, instead of bringing the agreed upon amount of money, brought armed troops to take his wares off of his corpse. In those instances, he was forced to injure or kill those soldiers and either re-demand his fee plus extra or take what cash was on the bodies and leave with the item. For even though he could not summon it himself, magic still flowed through his veins and he carried some innate abilities.

For example, he still had the improved night-vision most mages possessed, as well as being able to sense magic. Even with this handicap he still kept in his possession many valuable magical items that didn't require magic from the owner to use. With this thought in mind, he adjusted his cloak about him and attached the belt to his waist. This belt also had a second sheathe opposite the buckle, in which was another dagger.

He drew his sword to examine its edge. It was a simple enough blade. A common arming sword with a blade length of 75cm, it was a sword any soldier could use. Double edged and with a small guard, it was capable of both slashing and stabbing and it's excellent balance only increased its potential. Sheathing the blade, he then knelt down beside his bed and retrieved a steel armguard. Strapping it over his left arm, he opened and closed his hand to make sure it was on properly.

He opened the door to his small cabin and began to search for this strange aura. Cain easily trekked through the dense forest, deftly avoiding fallen logs and sweeping by low hanging branches. He was surprisingly close to the source of what he felt and after walking for about an hour, he came upon what had disturbed him. At the edge of a clearing, he leaned behind a tree for cover and glanced around its edge.

In the moonlit clearing stood a large pack of wolves, greater than any he had ever seen before. There must have been at least several dozen of the canines. And in the centre of this great pack, stood a woman. More beautiful than anything he had ever seen before, Cain gazed in amazement. She stood tall, her gorgeous figure wrapped in an amazingly crafted set of leather armour, on a large rock with the moonlight behind her.

However, he soon felt his hair stand up on end. For this woman, this woman who did not appear to be of this Earth, was exactly that. Recognizing her for what she was, Cain broke out in a cold sweat of fear and wondered what turn of events had caused him to be caught in the tides of fate.

* * *

Under a clear, star-filled night, a girl of about sixteen years of age travelled through a deep forest path. Her white hair glittered in the moonlight, giving her the appearance of a fairy. Her slim face and slender features reinforced this image. She wore a long black jacket with a blue and black bandiera around her shoulders which consistently caught on the branches that surrounded the path. However, even with her fairy-like appearance, her strong, straight shoulders and an air of seriousness and composure hinted at something much more formidable

This girl moved along the forest path, following her spirit sense to the presence she had been deemed to search out and investigate. "What have you gotten yourself into this time, Liliana?" she asked herself with resignation. Liliana Kranjcar had been walking through the Canadian woods, in the late of spring, for more than three hours as the moon lazily made its way across the sky. For a normal person, even with the moon and starlight, trekking through the forest would be next to impossible.

But Liliana was not a normal person. A member of the magical order of the Bronze Black Cross, Liliana was an accomplished witch and knight. Only equalled in prowess by her rival from the Copper Black Cross, Erica Blandelli, she was powerful indeed. She walked through the woods with ease, her night vision providing exceptional help. Normally she would fly over such a forest using her magic, but the trees were too thick and she could not see her goal from above.

Hailing all the way from Italy, this talented young witch was in search of a powerful and dangerous presence which had been detected in the area. Pressing onward, she resolved to find the source of this disturbance and report back to her superiors as soon as possible. Feeling the increase in strength, she hastened toward her goal.

* * *

_"Heretical Gods. Gods who, somehow, breached through the divide between reality and myth and walked the Earth. Rebelling against their own being, they travelled the world for reasons only a God could understand, bringing disaster and ruin to any who crossed their path."_ Recalling a book he had once read, Cain felt certain that he was in the presence of one of these devastating beings. As the pages flipped in his mind, he remembered the options when encountering a Heretical God.

_"You have three options when a Heretical God appears: 1) Appease the Heretical being until it leaves and pray that the damage is not severe. 2) Run far away. Or 3) If you are brave enough and possessing of strong magical power, you may attempt to seal the God away, banishing it back from whence it came."_ With these thoughts in mind, Cain stepped out from behind the tree and approached the middle of the clearing lit by the moons reflected rays. The wolves turned towards him and growled in warning, baring sharp fangs oozing with saliva. He stopped about thirty metres from the Goddess.

Artemis turned her head towards him, regarding the human bold enough to stand before her. He drew his sword from its sheathe and implanted it in the soft earth beneath his feet before setting himself on his knees and bowing his head down in deference. "Why have you come before me, mortal?" the goddess demanded in a sultry tone.

He took a deep breathe to steady his nerves before saying "Great goddess Artemis, I have humbly come before you to ascertain your intentions in this world." Possessing a great passion for mythology, especially Greek, he instantly recognized this Goddess of the Hunt.

Cain fell back into his old diplomatic skill set he had learned as a Magic Knight as he engaged in parley with this incredibly divine and dangerous being. An eery smile crept onto Artemis' face as she observed this human who was bold enough to approach a Goddess such as herself. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck raise as he saw that deadly smile.

"I am impressed that you would recognize me, mortal. I am, as you stated, the Goddess of the Hunt, Artemis. As for my intentions, I have grown bored with the divine beasts of Mount Olympus and have come to hunt a different kind of prey. A more amusing kind." the Heretical Goddess stated with voice full of the arrogance of an immortal watching the ants squirm beneath her feet.

His hands fiercely gripped his sword hilt as he deciphered what she meant with those words. _Could she possibly mean..?!_ he thought as his eyes widened with alarm. "And... what prey are you referring to, mighty Artemis?" he asked, trying his best to keep his rising fear out of his voice.

The smile on Artemis' face became a wicked grin as she simply said "Why, humans, of course. You may not be as strong as a cyclops or as fast as a chimera but your ingenuity, cunning and resilience make you very interesting prey. I gather my wolves to begin a great hunt, one which your people will speak of for millennia to come, if I deem to let any of you live, that is."

Cain freed his sword from the soil, stood and assumed a combat stance. Artemis cocked her head to the side in amusement as she guessed his motives. "Please forgive my hubris but I am afraid I cannot allow that. I must beseech you to change your course of action." he humbly requested. Cain felt his old Knightly duties kicking in. Even though he sold magical artifacts to whoever paid him, he still could not allow such a dangerous individual to carry out the slaughter she planned on the innocents of this world.

She smirked at him with a cruel humour in her glowing green eyes. "What an insolent human you are, standing against a God such as myself. I may have to teach you the error of your ways." The wolves, who up to this point had been glaring threateningly at him but apparently kept in check by Artemis, began to growl as they sensed her growing animosity.

What Artemis said next left him in a state of shock. "Do you truly believe you can fight a God?" she continued. "Did you not learn from your past experiences not to attempt things beyond your skill, Accursed One?" Cains sword hand went slack with surprise, as her words left him stunned. _How does she know about my past? Does she possess the powers of a miko?_ Artemis smiled all the more after seeing the effects her words had on him. She truly did enjoy playing with her prey.

"Do not be amazed. I can sense the power of your arm beneath your armour's puny magical concealment. Now, it is time for you to kneel before me, impertinent brat!" She said as words of power flew from her lips. Cain barely heard her as his thoughts were cast back into the past. He was shaking away horrible memories when he felt his legs begin to bend down on their own.

Realizing his predicament, he began fighting the submissive words of power. His legs halted their downward movement and he ended in a half-crouch. His legs began to fill with pain as his muscles struggled. For the first time, Artemis frowned in displeasure. "To resist my words of power. You are stronger than I estimated, human. Sadly, I cannot suffer to allow you to continue to live. This is goodbye."

As she spoke, a golden bow and quiver of golden arrows appeared on her person. Retrieving an arrow, she drew back the bow and took aim at his heart. He watched her actions in abject terror as he struggled to force his legs to obey him. The pain increased but he had no choice as his only options were to eventually break free or die. His attempt proved fruitless though, and Artemis fired.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The missile flew through the air but never reached it's mark. As Cain mentally screamed at his legs to make them move a blue flash appeared to his right, zooming in towards him. As the figure reached him, he felt arms reach around him and pull him out of the arrows path. An audible grunt was heard and they fell to the ground metres away from where he had prostrated himself.

He looked to his saviour to find a beautiful, fairy-like girl staring back at him, pain clouding her pale blue eyes. Old memories pushed at his mind as he felt a faint trace of recognition. He noticed her eyes staring downward and, following her gaze, he was directed to the golden arrow that was protruding from her lower abdomen. As she collapsed in his arms, guilt filled his heart and he cursed himself for his own weakness. Had he been strong enough to resist, this girl would never have been injured saving him. Though questions about her presence here floated around in his mind, he knew there was a much larger concern less than fifty metres away from them.

An expression of dark rage filled Artemis' face. "You have caused me to injure a maiden. I shall show no mercy!" Cain stood up and brandished his blade, which he had the presence of mind to hold onto during his short flight. His teeth gritted in vexation, he could not say a word. Artemis glared back at him with equal anger as she raised her bow. Eyes of raging green fire peered out from behind the glowing arrow as she took aim.

Cain dove forward and to the right in a roll, narrowly avoiding the golden glow that would have seen to his demise. He rolled once more as he heard the creaking of the bowstring being pulled back once more and another arrow landed exactly where he had finished the last dive. The lightning fast arrows were next to impossible to avoid and Cain knew that his luck would not last.

Landing on his feet, he immediately charged towards the mound that Artemis stood on. With his left hand he pulled a knife from his bandolier and whipped it her way. The Goddess effortlessly sidestepped out of the gleaming knife's path and drew back her bow again. Cain had never intended for the dagger to cause any real damage, instead using it as a distraction to close the distance. Cain cut with a downwards chop of his sword but the huntress leaped away with the speed of a being such as she.

Cain kept up the assault, amazed he had somehow put a Goddess on her heels. It was then that he noticed her mocking smirk. She was playing with him! Warning bells rang in his mind as his cautious nature won over his anger. He glanced around and saw that the wolves who had been unnaturally quiet up until this point had formed a ring around both Goddess and human, creating an arena. He looked further to his right to find that the silver-haired girl was still lying on the ground, yet she seemed to be stirring.

He needed to end this swiftly. Judging from the amount of blood staining her clothes she would not survive long without medical attention. "Artemis!" he shouted. "To think that a 'puny mortal' such as myself has survived for so long. Have you lost your skill with age?" The reaction to such an insult was instant. Artemis' red hair began to float around her head as divine energy built within her.

"You dare insult me?! I am your superior in every fashion! Fine, weakling, I shall show you my true power!" she screamed in rage. Suddenly, her body began to shake and change as reddish fur began to sprout from her skin. Cain watched in shocked amazement as the huntress' form began to change. In a matter of seconds, her limbs had elongated, her chin had grown a snout and her body became much more muscular. The human body had been replaced with that of a werewolf.

Artemis howled into the night and her chorus of wolves followed suit, an eery song echoing through the trees. She glared at Cain with feral eyes as her voice was heard, though her mouth did not move. "Feast upon the image of the ultimate hunter, you pathetic insect! Feast upon the last image you shall ever bear witness to!" Cain brought his sword up to block as Artemis charged, her left hand swiping across.

As his sword fell in line with her claws, they began to glow silvery-white. The next thing Cain knew, he was holding half a sword, the other half flying through the air to implant itself in the dirt. Before he could react, Artemis slashed across with her right arm. Almost in slow motion, Cain watched as her glowing, silver claws hacked across his chest, cutting through his armour and reaching the iridescent gem his necklace held. The blade-like nails sliced through the gem and there was a sudden brilliant flash of light and energy that encompassed everything in the surrounding area.

* * *

When the light finally dissipated, Cain found he was lying on the soft grass some metres from the rock he had previously been duelling on. Battle instincts immediately kicking in, he pushed away questions about the explosion and his head swivelled from side to side as he got to his feet, trying to find his otherworldly opponent.

Just as he began to search, a scream of rage directed him back towards the centre rock. Artemis stood at the pinnacle of the platform once more, staring down at Cain with a look of pure hatred and disdain. Curiously, Artemis leaned heavily against what appeared to be a spear of pure darkness. He noticed that the wolves that had been so strangely surrounding and worshipping her were now, even more strangely, running back into the woods they had come from.

"So, worm, you seem to have sealed my authorities of the Hunt and the Bow. You're more clever than I expected, mongrel." though her voice was full of venom there seemed to be a hint of wary respect lingering in its midst. _I sealed her authorities? My necklace..._ He felt a great sadness well up inside his heart as he realized the gem had been destroyed. Though it had been a symbol of what had happened, he kept it nearby as yet another reminder to not step beyond his bounds.

Ironically, that's exactly what he did at this very moment. In spite of the mood, he smiled wryly to himself. Seeing his grin, Artemis held the spear in an offensive position in front of herself. She seemed to be calm once more and Cain was genuinely frightened by how quickly her mood seemed to turn. "Never the less, I will honour you by mounting your head in my trophy room as you have been an interesting opponent." she declared with that irritating tone of superiority.

Cain raised his sword to greet her inevitable charge when he realized that he still held the lower half of his former weapon. In this brief moment of confusion, Artemis dashed forward, spear tip leading the way. Thinking quickly, he threw the sword handle at the swiftly approaching Goddess, which she easily deflected with a flick of her wrists. Using this to buy him a few more milliseconds, Cain pulled the larger dagger from his bandolier with his left hand while his right went behind his back to the concealed duplicate.

As the spear's dark tip reached for his heart, Cain crossed his daggers in an X and narrowly deflected the weapon past him while his body nimbly moved to the right. Cain noticed that the Goddess was not moving as fast or as skillfully as before and he suspected that the blast had injured her as well as sealing her authorities, though she was still a step above a normal humans abilitie's. Knowing he had to use every advantage he had, he moved to close the distance between them and keep inside of the longer reach of the spear.

Realizing his plan, Artemis leaped backwards to create more ground and put Cain on the defensive again. She thrust repeatedly, forcing him to backpedal and side step as he frantically blocked and deflected. As he attempted to deflect yet another thrust, the tip nicked his right hand, causing a small trickle of blood to begin to flow. Immediately, the flesh around the wound began to grow cold and Cain dove to his left, out of her reach.

"Ah, you seem to have discovered my precious weapon's attributes." Artemis sneered. "Death itself flows through this spear and, like a poison, it slips into your system." As she continued, his hand started to become numb. He gripped his dagger fiercely, refusing to drop the blade. Coming to the conclusion that he was not going to speak, Artemis once again pushed the offensive. She slowly drove Cain down the hill as he even more desperately avoided that deadly tip.

Both began to sustain minor wounds as they continued their dangerous (and frankly one sided) dance. Artemis scored a grazing slash to his left side as Cain failed to push the weapon far enough, but in return he drew a line of blood down her right arm. Both paused in shock at the implications that a mere steel dagger would cut a Goddess' skin before Artemis once again thrust forward in absolute fury.

As Artemis swiped the spear across at face level, Cain ducked underneath and once again moved inside its reach. His right hand swung across, weakly stabbing into her side as his left blocked the return diagonal downwards chop. Can thought he might finally have a chance when Artemis kicked out with her right foot. His stamina fading, he could not avoid the blow in time and was sent stumbling backwards.

At this point they had neared where the initial conflict had begun and Cain glanced down to find the white haired girl lying on the ground. He looked into her blue eyes and knew that unless he acted quickly, this night would end with both of their deaths. _This needs to end now! I need to do something unexpected._ He thought as he dodged yet another attack. He considered his chances but they looked grim, his right hand was almost completely numb and his left side began to weaken as well.

_If I'm going to die, I'm taking her with me!_ He screamed at himself as an insane opportunity presented itself. Artemis thrust once more, straight into his chest. Rather than block the strike, Cain ran himself onto her spear. She stood still, caught completely by surprise at his suicidal move. Cain screamed in absolute agony as the spear exited his back, narrowly avoiding his spine. He continued to charge forward and Artemis' eyes widened further as his blades flashed out, both finding the soft flesh of her neck.

As Cain collapsed on top of the Goddess, the spear became black mist and disappeared into the night sky. Both fell to the ground, landing side by side. Cain looked up through pain clouded eyes to find Artemis staring back at him with a look of respect in her hate filled eyes. "Congratulations Accursed One, you have slain me. I pass back to the myths while you remain on this world. I wonder which of us will suffer more..." somehow, she managed to say this through her blood drowned throat before finally becoming silent.

As blood poured from the huge hole the spear had left in his body and intense pain reverberated through his core, his vision began to fade. Through his blurred sight, he could see a figure slowly approaching. He struggled to keep his eyes open but at last his strength ran out and his eyelids slowly shut.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The white explosion had jolted some sense into the pain-fogged mind of Liliana. As she lay in the grass she discovered that the arrow in her side had vanished. She quickly began to use healing magic, weakly sealing the wound. She lay still to conserve her energy as the healing spell took effect. It seemed that the arrow had contained a poison of some sort that unnaturally drained her strength, which was why she had not immediately joined the battle with the idiotic boy she had seen challenging a God.

Reminded of this, she heard the sounds of battle and slowly raised her head. She watched in a mix of admiration and horror as the Goddess and the boy duelled. She could tell just by watching the fight that he was extremely skilled, blocking her advancing stabs with two daggers and even making counter attacks. Yet she could also see that he was becoming injured as well and that his chances of victory were swiftly decreasing.

She leaned forward, holding her side as she attempted to help but found that she was took weak and wobbly to raise herself above a crawl. The boy turned and glanced at her and she could see the desperation in his eyes. Gazing into his blue pupils, she received a flash of spirit vision and saw what he planned. "No!" she screamed in fear, desperately attempting to stand. She crashed to the ground once more and could only watch helplessly as he carried out his plan.

She gasped in horror as the boy ran himself through on the Goddess' spear. A large lump grew in her throat as the spear exited his back, a horrifying image she would never rid herself of. Blood spurted from both opponents and they crashed to the ground. Growling in frustration, Liliana finally managed to stand as she fought against her weary muscles. She slowly hobbled her way over to the two and knew before she even got there that both were dead. Death was a common occurrence in the life of a knight and she had seen much, but to watch this boy sacrifice himself to slay the Great Huntress shocked her.

She knelt down beside his body and, with great effort, flipped him over onto his back. His lithe frame had surprising muscle to it. She sat down beside him, her legs running out of strength. Liliana finally examined the boy she had tried to save. He appeared to be a year older than herself and he had a fairly handsome face. His short blond hair was stained crimson with blood and his pallor was white with death.

Yet as she stared at him, colour began to return to his skin. She opened her mouth to speak but could find no words. Before her eyes, the wounds that lay across his skin began to close, sealing themselves and ceasing the rivers of reds that ran from them. Realizing what was happening, she could only stare as a new devil king was born.

* * *

In between reality and the world of mythology, there is a plane to divide the two. This was known as the Boundary of Life and Immortality. Many worlds exist in this realm, ranging from endless seas, to great mountains, to never ending darkness. Cain found himself in one of these worlds. Everywhere he looked, there was a plain of white. He looked downwards to find himself somehow standing on this same substance. As his mind began to spin circles attempting to find out how he came to be here, he heard a girl speak behind him.

"Hey there! That was a great fight! Even I didn't see that coming!" said the voice in an especially cheerful tone. He spun around, reaching for his daggers. He stopped when he saw that it was not his enemy who stood in front of him. The voice belonged to an adorable girl with bright violet hair tied in two long pigtails with large white bows. She had an elf-like face with bright green eyes. She seemed to be in her teens but she wore a white robe and armlets.

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "Excuse me, but who are you and where am I?" he asked respectfully. She grinned widely, "Well, I'm your adopted mother, silly!"

Cain opened his mouth to express the absurdity of her statement when he stopped. He felt a great pain grow in his head. He began to see images and when they finally stopped and the pain lessened, his questions were answered. "So this is the Netherworld. You... are Pandora, right?" he said. Stories about Pandora and her box surfaced in his mind. The wife of Epimetheus, the fool, Pandora was a demigod who was given a box that contained chaos but also a glimmer of hope. Growing too curious, she opened this box and all sorts of evil flew out of it to inhabit the world. But hope remained, it grew in the hearts of man and gave them the strength to battle these monsters.

She gave that wide grin again and two thumbs up. "That's right! Now, illegitimate child of Epimetheus, do you realize what has happened to you?" she asked like a preschool teacher asking a young child.

The pain in his head began again and more information inserted itself inside his mind. _Right, the Memories of the Void contain every memory to exist and spirit vision users can extract information from this Void._ He remembered studying that in a grimoire somewhere and with that brought more questions, specifically the one Pandora had asked him. Recalling the events before finding himself here, his heart filled with dread. "I... impaled myself on Artemis' spear and then killed her with my daggers. So I'm dead, correct?" Cain asked with some slight fear, for though he feared death, he knew that it was inevitable.

"You kicked her butt, alright! But you did die. Don't worry though! Soon you'll be reborn." She said as she noticed his growing worry.

"Reborn? Why would I be-" he began to question before stopping, finally understanding the implications of her words. "Wait, I'm to become one of those monsters?" he enquired with a tone of disgust and fear.

Pandora pouted at the insult, "Yes, you are now a Campione. Your body is healing itself as we speak and you will soon return to it. I would appreciate it if you didn't call them monsters by the way, you _are_ all my adopted children after all." she told the teen, her tone slightly perturbed. He bowed in apology but when he once again considered the first part of her words, he needed to ask one more question.

"When you said my body will be healed, did you mean my entire body?" Pandora nodded, her smile returning once more.

"Yup! You'll be healed to your peak condition and you'll never have to worry about that pesky arm bothering you again." she deemed happily. Cain frowned slightly and he remained silent for some time. Pandora cocked her head to the side, curious as to why that would bother him.

"Then I have a request to make, if you'll allow it." he said seriously. With a determined look in his eyes, he stated his request. Pandora frowned in concern when he had finished.

"You realize what this will mean, right? This is your only chance to be free of it's curse." she warned him, suddenly serious as well.

He nodded in confirmation. "I know what it means, but it is a burden I must bear. It is the consequence of my actions and in penance I must suffer through it. It is my punishment and I readily accept it." Pandora frowned in displeasure but none the less, accepted his request.

"Very well. It shall be as you ask. But please be careful, you're deliberately putting yourself at a disadvantage." Pandora looked at him with concern in her eyes. _I can't believe I'm now this woman's adopted son. She actually seems to care._ Put off by this unexpected show of emotion, he nodded in acknowledgement of her warning.

Cain's vision suddenly blurred as he stared at the demigod who resided over godslayers. He put a hand over his eyes to steady his vision. Pandora perked up at the movement. "Seems like you're about to return to the real world. Well, I doubt you'll remember any of this anyway, but good luck out there! Keep doing your thing and kick those pesky God's butts!" she shouted, raising her fist into the air with determination.

He smiled in spite of himself. She sounded like one of those overly peppy cheerleaders. Cain's vision blurred again and when it cleared he was staring up at the star covered sky. He lay there for a second, trying to control the runaway train his thought process had become. It was then that he noticed the silver-haired girl lying beside him, her skin as white as a sheet.

Cain quickly knelt beside her and put his index finger to her neck. Just unconscious. Her pulse was there, but very weak. Knowing she would not last until morning without treatment, Cain picked her up and positioned her piggyback style, her arms draped over his shoulders while her legs dangled in front of his own. He held her underneath her thighs, near the buttocks and Cain hesitated.

It was the first time he had touched a girl there and he felt extremely awkward. Nevertheless he stood up and, leaning forward to keep an even balance, he began to rush back towards his makeshift home. Cain ran through the underbrush as quickly as he could, though he was careful not to jostle his passenger.

During his silent run, he noticed a few things. For one, this girl was surprisingly light on his back. He also seemed to be running faster than he had ever before. Cain then remembered that when a normal person becomes a Campione, they typically gain the authorities of the God they slay as well as physical improvement. So, when he thought about it, maybe it wasn't so surprising after all.

Another thing he noticed as he ran greatly added to his discomfort. He could feel the girl's breasts pressing against his back. His face turned red with discomfort and he was very glad that no one was around to see him like this. Pushing all other thoughts aside, he focused on repaying the favour to this brave girl.

Retracing his path, Cain finally made it back to his cabin. He pushed the door open with his shoulder and quickly lay the girl down on the fur bed he used. Cain then got up and ran to the shelves on the western wall. He scrambled through jars and baubles before finally finding the poultice he was looking for. As he ran back across the room, he grabbed some spare cloth.

Cain knelt down beside the fairy-like girl and paused in embarrassment. He knew what he had to do but he felt like he would be violating her privacy if he did. "Oh, to hell with it! Her privacy or her life." With these words of frustration, he unbuttoned her bloodied black jacket and white shirt, revealing the skin underneath.

Her pale skin was flawless and smooth while her body was slender, she looked almost fragile. But one could tell by looking at her shoulders that she was tougher than she appeared. She was wearing a plain white bra to cover her small (but not flat-chested, as first thought) bosom. He swiftly redirected his gaze to the problem.

Blood was seeping from a puncture wound in her lower abdomen. Cain wiped away the blood with a cloth and applied the healing poultice to it. As a knight, he had been taught medical knowledge for on the field use and had learned to always carry a mixture of herbs with him at all times. After that he wrapped her waist in the rest of the cloth.

It was then that he sensed something strange. Going on a feeling, he closed his eyes and viewed her through the limited spirit vision he possessed. Her body faintly glowed white, signifying that she was alive. But when he looked at her wound, he found a black presence there. His eyes flew open with surprise and fear. The arrow that Artemis had struck her with had been poisoned! No amount of regular care would cure a magical poison delivered by a God.

Cain gritted his teeth as he wracked his head for possible solutions. He did not know of any magical organizations nearby so that was not an option. By his guess she only had a matter of hours before she died, so travelling was not possible either. Which meant that only he remained. But could he do it? Not some hours earlier he had tried one of the most basic conjuration spells and it had ended in complete failure. Now he was planning on using high level healing magic on a poison with divine properties.

"Well, it's worth a shot." he said to himself. Kneeling beside the 'bed', Cain placed his hands on the injury. He closed his eyes and focused with all of his might on the healing techniques he had learned. To his amazement, energy began to flow from his body, though his arms, and into the wound. Once again using spirit vision, he watched as the green healing power clashed with the black poison.

As the magic continued to pour into the wound, Cain's left arm began to protest. Pain like needles began to form in his arm but he pushed on, knowing that he needed to continue. The pain grew as the healing magic continued to fight the divine poison. His left arm began to shake but he ignored it. All that mattered was saving the girl who risked her life to save him.

The healing magic started to overwhelm the poison and as Cain began to scream in agony, the battle was won. He had no idea if he had won or not though, as the pain engulfed him, yet he did not shed a single tear. Clutching his arm and vocalizing his torment, Cain collapsed to the ground and before he knew it, the dark of unconsciousness overcame him.

* * *

It was daybreak when Cain awoke. Light poured in through the cabin's two opposite-facing windows. With a groggy mind, he recalled what had happened and found that it hurt his head. Dispelling thoughts of what had transpired for the moment, he focused on nursing the silver-haired girl back to health. Speaking of her, she still lay on the fur bed, very weak but stable.

_It must have been a draining poison, meant to sap one of their strength and mana supplies._ He thought to himself as he unsteadily got to his feet. Cain quickly pulled a fur blanket over her exposed form, his face red with embarrassment. Still in his torn and blood-stained armour, he threw a log on the now dead fire and, after a few strikes, lit it with a flint and steel. With the burning flames alive once again, Cain set up a stand and began cooking a stew with the last of his caught meat.

Technically what he did was poaching, but he was careful not to kill too much and only what he needed. He shrugged, not really bothered by his transgression. As the aroma began to waft through the room, Cain stood and gazed out the window. It was a clear spring day, rays of sunshine poking through the trees. He could hear the sounds of birds chirping and incests buzzing from here. He really did enjoy his homeland's wildlife.

With the most pressing matters taken care of, he directed his thoughts inward as he reflected over what had happened. Campione. The title of devil king. He was now one of these godslayers who ruled over parts of the magical world. But did it even matter? Cain had never wanted anything more than to live a life of discovery and adventure. Sure, with this power adventure would come, but so also would come responsibility and danger.

Granted, danger was already present in his life. Several former patrons of his wanted his head on a pike, though all he had done was defend himself when they had decided to just take what he had retrieved for them without paying. He had never understood how he was to blame for surviving but he usually passed it off as the crazed, selfish minds of the wealthy.

There was an upside to what the future could bring with this power. He could finally help people, as had been his goal as a knight. At the time he had been young and naive, and though now he was only several years older, he had gained wisdom and experience far beyond his years. He knew that he couldn't undo what happened and that he couldn't save everyone, but maybe this was a golden opportunity for him to finally make proper amends for his past actions.

Following this train of thought, what exactly were his new powers? He thought back to his desperate run to his cabin. He had believed her to be extremely light but it was probably also increased strength. He had also run faster than a human should, meaning increased speed and agility as well. Then there was the fact that he had somehow eliminated that evil poison that should have killed her. Recalling that, he touched his still-armoured left arm. He didn't need to see it to know that the scars remained.

Somehow, he had forced healing power through that magic-dead limb, at great physical pain. He knew that even though it was a very bad disadvantage he had made the right choice keeping this arm. But why had it happened? A Campione's magical resistance should have made it doubly impossible for him to perform such an act, yet somehow he had.

Just as the train was following the tracks, a certain smell sent it off the railings. "My stew!" Cain yelled to himself, dashing back to the fireplace and immediately stirring the contents of the metal pot, hoping that his idle thoughts hadn't caused him to burn it.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Some short time later, Liliana's stomach growled. There was an aroma of food in the air and it pulled her from her dormant state. She opened her eyes to find herself under an unfamiliar log roof. Confused and hurting, she slowly reached downward and touched the bandaged skin. Still in a daze, she turned her head to the right, taking in her surroundings.

She found herself lying on a bed of animal furs in a log cabin. Two windows provided plenty of sunlight to see. Shelves lined the walls, with many different items perched on them. There were jars and baubles, many of which radiated magical power of one form or another. More interesting was the stronger magical presence by the house's fireplace.

The blond teen she had saved and then watched die was currently crouched by the fire, stirring the contents of a pot. He still wore the torn up armour from the night before, the black cloak wrapped around his shoulders. Possibly feeling her gaze, he turned his head to regard her. "It seems you're finally awake." he said with a kind smile. Pouring some of the stew she had smelled into a bowl, he stood. Her stomach growled once more and she blushed.

"My apologies but my cooking is not the best." he said with a wry smile. As he walked towards the bed, she attempted to rise to meet him. Before she had even raised herself forty five degrees, she felt his hand hold her down. "Don't try to get up by yourself just yet. Let me get something to prop you up." He placed the bowl down beside her, crossed the room and pulled some more furs from a wardrobe she had not seen in the corner.

"The poison in the arrow drained your energy, both magical and otherwise. I was able to bind your wound and cure the poison, but you need time to rest and recover. Here, let me." he said, helping her raise herself and placing the furs behind her back. She tried to speak but her throat was too dry and all she produced was a rasping sound.

"Look, don't try to speak right now. Do nothing but rest and leave everything to me. I owe you for saving my life so this is my thanks. Now open wide." Again, that gentle smile graced his lips. With a kind sparkle in his eyes, he held up a spoonful of stew before her. She hesitantly opened her mouth and the blond boy slowly fed her.

Liliana was surprised by the amount of flavour in the relatively plain meal. As she chewed on the rabbit meat she tasted carrot, celery, potato, and a variety of other vegetables in the thick stew. Though she was terribly embarrassed, she knew that she should be grateful to her saviour and listen to him. They repeated the process until the bowl was empty. The entire time the blond boy wore that gentle smile.

When she had finished, Liliana finally spoke. "Thank you. That was very good. As a knight, I am in your debt." With that statement, she weakly but stubbornly moved her right hand over her heart in a salute.

The boy continued to smile as he said "There's no need to thank me, you saved my life so I really just returned the favour. You're a knight of the Bronze Black Cross, correct? I noticed the insignia on your jacket." He was referring to the mage association who was a rival with the Copper Black Cross. Both organizations were stationed in Milan, Italy and both were centuries old with a strong influence in the area.

She looked down but found she was only wearing her white undershirt. He noticed her gaze and scratched the back of his head as he awkwardly looked away. "Oh, yea. Well, I needed to find the injury and your shirt was in the way. So... I had to take it off..."

Liliana's entire face went red and her eyes grew wide. She turned away from him. He had seen her bare skin. Had touched it. Ridiculous thoughts of men grabbing hold of their women and roughly taking off clothing filled her mind. She shook her head, driving away such thoughts before regaining her composure. "I see."

Seeing her rigid expression, he bowed his head. "I'm very sorry. I didn't do anything inappropriate. It was just very important for me to get to the injury." he said in a sincere tone.

Liliana watched him apologize and softened her expression slightly. "I understand. You are correct that I am a member of the Bronze Black Cross. My name is Liliana Kranjcar."

He nodded in recognition, "Ah yes, I remember you now. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Cain." he said with a bow. This boy seemed to know the ins and outs of high-class etiquette.

He resumed sitting beside her and as silence crept in, her thoughts flashed back to what had happened the night before. She had watched him die, so how was he now standing before her, very much alive? When the only 'plausible' explanation hit her, Liliana gasped in surprise and jumped into a respectful kneeling position.

"My apologies, king! To make you wait on one such as myself is unforgivable." she said in hurried words. Then Liliana found herself face-down on the floor, her strength having failed her. Blood flowed from her reopened wound, covering the bandages in crimson. Strong arms wrapped around her back and underneath her legs and the next thing she knew she was lying back on the furs while Cain stared at her with a stern but caring expression. She gasped and inadvertently blushed.

"Don't go jumping around like that! You're still very weak. Look, you're bleeding again." He got up and grabbed another set of bandages. Ignoring both her fervent denials and his own feelings, he unbuttoned the bottom of her shirt, stripped the old bandages off, gently but quickly wiped the blood off her fair skin and wrapped the area with the new cloth.

Liliana bowed her head in shame. "I am sorry, my king. I was just worried that your Excellency would-" she began to say before Cain interrupted her.

"Look, Liliana. I am not a king so don't treat me like that. I don't deserve such a title. Just call me Cain." he said firmly. She saw the determined line of his jaw and it reminded her of another such king, one who also didn't believe in titles or lording over others. She nodded slightly in acknowledgement. "Good. Now I have a question for you. Why are you here, so far from Milan?"

"I was sent here by my superiors to gather information on the God manifesting in the area, though that seems pointless now." An idea came to mind, but she struggled to voice it. "My Lo- Cain. Would you mind accompanying me back to Milan? My superiors would most likely wish to speak with you."

This piqued Cain's interest. He tilted his head to the side as he considered her proposal. "Sure, why not? I mean, I don't have any business at the moment and I guess I should explore my options."

She nodded, her mouth set in a serious frown. "My thanks, Cain... Might I be so bold as to ask for your surname?"

Cain frowned and look down. "I cast away my last name. I am not worthy of it. Please do not ask again." he said with a tone of finality.

Liliana's mouth opened in a silent 'oh', sensing the deep pain and sadness the question brought to him. "My apologies, Lord Cain. I did not mean to harm you."

Cain sighed, half in exasperation over her continuing formality and half in sadness. He gave a little chuckle and smiled once more. "It's ok, don't worry about it. Just focus on getting better now, ok? I have to go out for a few hours but I'll be back as soon as I can. Want anything before I leave?" he asked her as he got up to prepare to leave.

The silver-haired girl thought for a second, before saying "No, I'm fine, thank you. Actually..."

He was standing by the door, positioning his cloak over his shoulders. Luckily it hadn't been pierced as well. The tears and large hole in his armour were evidence enough of what happened, it would have been a major setback had his cloak been damaged. Feeling the enchantments around him, he turned around when he heard her hesitate.

"What is it? I'll be going out anyway, so if you need anything, just tell me." he said simply.

Liliana shook her head, "Never mind, it's nothing. I cannot ask a king to perform such lowly duties for one such as myself."

Cain cocked his head far to the side and his eyes seemed to bore into her. He was clearly getting a little annoyed with this continuing master-servant attitude. "I told you already, I'm not a king. Just tell me what you need, Liliana."

She took a gulp to steady herself, then asked "Well... I left my pack behind during the battle with Artemis. All of my supplies and personal items are in there." She looked down at her hands, still in her propped up position. She was clearly uncomfortable asking him for such a thing but frankly he didn't care. Practically speaking, it was best for him to do as much as possible while he was out, so something like this was easy.

"That's fine, I'll get it for you. I'll be back as soon as I can, alright? Please stay in bed." He smiled and passed through the door, closing it behind himself.

Liliana sat on the bed, contemplating all she had just learned. Was there really another Campione like _him_? Could Cain really be like the Japanese Campione that cared nothing for the title of ruler? _I guess only time will tell_.

* * *

Cain closed the door and immediately gripped his left arm tightly. His teeth clenched, he began to run through the woods, putting as much distance between himself and the cabin. The dew splashed against his pant legs as his feet carried him onward. Finally, he couldn't take it any longer and his vision blurred, causing him to trip over a root and crash to the ground. He began screaming as spasms of pain coursed through his cursed arm. Birds took flight through the trees, fleeing the unnatural dissonance.

He was not lying when he had told Liliana that he needed to do some tasks, but neither had he told her the complete truth. The main reason he had wanted to leave was because he had felt warning prickles throughout his left arm, and discerning them for what they were, he wanted to be far from her when the pain hit him.

Cain violently gripped his forearm as he dragged his left hand's fingers through the soft dirt. He screamed into the heavens yet no angels heard his cries. The pain and screams continued for many minutes before finally ceasing. Cain lay on the forest floor with half of his face pressed against the dirt, thoroughly exhausted from his ordeal.

_So... This is what Pandora was worried about..._ he thought to himself, his one open eye wandering. _My arm must be rejecting the new magical power flowing through my veins._ After spending a few more minutes to gather his strength and catch his breath, he picked himself up and continued walking.

As quickly as the pain had come, it had ended. Cain squeezed his fingers, testing the muscles. It seemed that his body had already recovered to full strength. Resigning himself to this condition, he continued on with the rest of his work. Hours later he returned to the cabin, a blue and black pack in one hand and three rabbit carcasses in the other. His missing daggers and throwing knife were back in their respective sheathes.

"Greetings, Cain" he heard as he opened the door. Unsurprisingly, he found Liliana not in bed as he had instructed, but sitting in the only chair in the cabin next to his table. Her jacket lay across her lap and she appeared to be sewing it with some string and a needle he had left lying around. Cain sighed in resignation.

"You truly are a stubborn one, aren't you?" he asked, more to himself than to her. "Anyway, I found your pack. You can sort through your stuff while I get an early dinner ready." he said as he put the small travelling bag beside her. Though the sun was still quite high, Cain sat cross-legged on the floor and began skinning the rabbits he caught over a blood-stained pot while Liliana checked her belongings.

Curious, Liliana stopped what she was doing and watched Cain. _He must catch his own food often._ She thought to herself. With that brought a question, which she asked. "Cain, why do you live alone in the middle of the woods?"

He paused, his dagger halfway through a streak of rabbit skin. Without looking at her, he said "I travel often on business, this home is just temporary. As for not living in a town, I prefer my privacy and the peaceful quiet the forest brings." With that, he continued to skin.

"I see, well what do you do for a living?" she asked, desiring to find out more about this boy.

She saw him shrug his shoulders humbly, "I work as a magical relic hunter. If you want a specific long lost grimoire or magical talisman, I'm your guy." he said, a hint of pride in his voice.

She nodded, "So you're a mage like I thought." To her surprise, he shook his head, still focusing on the carcasses.

"I used to be. Let's just say there were certain circumstances and I am no longer a magic caster." he said mysteriously.

There had been reported cases of mages losing their abilities, typically through injuries sustained by losing a battle with another mage, so she accepted this explanation. She wanted to ask more about it but he did not look like he wanted to discuss the matter further. Yet something still puzzled her. Liliana furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, her head cocked to the side. "Then how did you cure me of the poison Artemis' arrow injected into me?"

This time he raised his head from his work and turned to look at her, a thoughtful frown on his face. "It must be one of the authorities I took from Artemis. She was a protector of maidens so I'd assume that because you met the conditions, I was able to heal you. Not fully, apparently, but I eliminated the poison. Would you happen to know how I can tell which authorities I usurped?" he asked.

It was her turn to frown in thought now. "Well, according to a Campione I am acquainted with, Kusanagi Godou, he just concentrated and he instantly knew." she said simply.

Cain narrowed his eyes slightly, "You know other Campione?"

She nodded, "Yes, I have encountered several of your brethren. I formerly served Duke Voban according to the wishes of my grandfather and the Bronze Black Cross is associated with Lord Salvatore Doni as well. I have joined forces with King Kusanagi on occasion also and while he is a man with many perversions, he is a surprisingly good king." She said this with a sort of wistful tone and Cain raised an eyebrow in scepticism.

"Umm... Okay then. I might as well give it a shot." he said, putting the finished skin and knife down beside the pot that was now filled with blood. Pushing the pot away to clear some room, he positioned himself in a meditative pose. Liliana silently observed as Cain closed his eyes and steadied his breathing.

Though his eyes were closed, he visualized the room around him and everything in it. Slowly, one by one, everything disappeared in his mind's eye. He focused inside himself, to the magical energy that had fused with his very essence. As he concentrated, images and words flashed before him.

Minutes passed and with a sharp intake of air, Cain once again opened his eyes. Without realizing it, his breathing had slowed down until it was barely perceptible. Liliana raised her head at the sudden change. With a glow of certainty and determination in his pupils, he gave a satisfied smirk and a nod. "I understand."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

That night, Liliana lay asleep on the fur bed while Cain rested on a spare skin lain across the floor. After a lengthy argument over who should sleep in the bed, Cain finally obtained victory. Liliana claimed that, as a king, he should rest properly and comfortably. Though he understood her reasoning, it was completely unnecessary. Even with a resounding rebuttal about how she was still very weak and injured and that, as the patient, she deserved the bed, he had only won when he had physically picked her up and put her down on it.

While he had remained up for the past several hours, she had fallen asleep within minutes. He had known she must have used a lot of energy to have moved around as much as she did, but she was pushing herself too hard. The puncture left by the arrow had yet to heal and unless healed magically, it would take many days. _Unless healed magically..._ he thought to himself. As Cain lay on the floor, staring up at the log roof, he came to a decision.

He got up, dressed in a pair of black pants and a grey long sleeved shirt. He had changed outside earlier while giving her the chance to get out of her combat gear as well. Cain walked over to Liliana's resting form and placed his hands above her abdomen. She currently wore a light blue shirt and a pair of cream coloured pants. He closed his eyes and focused on the same power he had used before.

Cain knew that he would suffer for this, but her wound would only take some minor healing and it would save them both a lot of time. In nothing more than a whisper, he began to chant. "Like the lost child Atalanta under my care, be mended and claim the prized hide of the boar." As the words of power were spoken, that now familiar pain began to creep into his arm. Just as Cain was forced to clench his teeth to avoid screaming, the flesh had healed itself completely, even a scar was not present.

Feeling the job was finished, Cain immediately sat down and rested. Sweat poured down his face and he slowly let out quiet gasps of torment. He once again reminded himself that this suffering was worth the time and effort it would save them both. Finally recovering, he took the time to make sure that Liliana was still asleep and comfortable.

After confirming she was indeed in good health, he put on his boots and opened the cabin door. Moonlight filled the room as Cain traversed the portal and closed the door behind him. Taking up a leaning position against the cabin, he silently bore witness to the natural wilderness around him. Cain watched the moon dance among the many twinkling stars as their faint light sparkled off of the dew-soaked leaves. _It almost looks like an enchanted land out of some fairy tale._ He thought to himself, feeling the logs press against his back as sleep finally overtook him and his eyes closed.

* * *

The next morning, Liliana woke to find Cain was not present. Worried, she quickly got up to find him when she realized something. She reached down, touched her abdomen and felt no pain. Confused, she opened the bottom of her shirt and peeled away the bandages to find there wasn't even a trace of the injury. She placed the bandages with the rest of the trash and put her boots on. Liliana opened the door and peered outside, squinting as the sun shone brightly in the sky.

When her eyes had adjusted to the light she looked to her right. When she saw him she couldn't help but smile. Cain was sitting on the ground with his back against the cabin wall, fast asleep. Liliana walked over to him and he must have heard her movement because as she approached he raised his head and yawned.

"Good morning, Cain." she said, a small smile still present on her face.

"Morning. Sorry, I must have fallen asleep when I went to get some fresh air." he said as he stretched his arms above his head.

"Did you get enough sleep last night? I apologize for not staying up to stand guard but I seem to have been more tired than I believed." she said, returning to her formal, solemn attitude.

He waved away her apology, saying "Don't worry about it. I slept well enough, the outdoors always did suit me."

As silence crept in, Liliana burst out with "Thank you for healing me once more, Cain." she said awkwardly yet humbly with a bow. "It is a debt I will do my best to repay."

He shook his head, in both exasperation and denial. "Liliana, how many times must I say it? You don't owe me anything. Don't worry about it." he repeated.

She nodded halfheartedly, not feeling right about the matter. "Cain, I find it strange that you'd heal me in the middle of the night. May I ask for your reasoning?"

He shrugged casually, "Well, from what I gathered, the power can only be used once per day, so when I felt that I could use it again I figured it would be best to do so. You were already asleep at the time and I thought it best not to wake you over something so trivial." While he wasn't lying, he also wasn't telling the whole truth. It was true that the Maiden's Blessing could only be performed once a day but he was hiding the real reason for waiting until she had fallen asleep to use it.

As the first person in years to treat him as an equal (even if she acted like he was a king from time to time) Cain was worried that once he revealed his true identity to her, Liliana would treat him as the rest of the magical society did. If he was being completely honest with himself, he wouldn't blame her if she did. His actions would and should never be forgiven, he himself was horrified and disgusted with what had occurred. How could he expect others to forgive him when he could not forgive himself?

"I understand, do you know of any other restrictions for this power?" she asked quizzically, intruding on his dark thoughts.

"Apparently the Maiden's Blessing can only be used on females and there is the already mentioned twenty four hour waiting period between uses. As for my other powers, besides increased strength, stamina and agility I seem to have only taken two other authorities." he said with a sorry smile and a shrug.

Liliana nodded, storing the information in her mind. "May I ask what they are?"

In response, Cain stood up and walked a few metres away from the cabin. "Here, I'll show you. Would you mind going inside and bringing me one of my throwing knives, please?"

She nodded once more and did as he asked. She entered the cabin and opened the wardrobe where he kept his clothes and furs. Next to several shirts, all of which were long sleeved, she noted with curiosity, and pairs of pants hung his set of leather armour. At the bottom of the wardrobe lay his bandolier, daggers and Cain's steel gauntlet. She could sense the magical power emanating from the last item and she could only wonder at what abilities the no doubt expensive piece of equipment possessed.

Her eyes wandered over the torn armour and she reflected on what had happened. She ran her hand over the large gashes. _He must have been in incredible pain._ She thought to herself. _He took on a God and got himself killed, all because we were both in danger. I failed in my duties and he paid for it with his life and his very humanity._ At that moment Liliana resolved to do her very best to serve and repay him, no matter what he said to the contrary. Remembering her reason for coming inside in the first place, she retrieved one of his throwing knives from it's sheathe.

When she returned once more, she found a strange sight before her. Cain stood where she had left him, but now a grey furred wolf sat beside him and a brown and beige hawk was casually perched on his right shoulder. Cain had a small smile on his face as he rubbed the top of the wolf's head with his right hand as if it were a childhood pet. The wolf panted and wagged it's tail happily and the hawk adjusted itself as it received a similar treatment under it's chin from his left hand.

She slowly walked over to him, careful not to disturb the two typically wild creatures though they paid her no heed. She watched in awe as Cain treated the two animals with ease. He looked up at her as she approached, that smile still present on his face. "Thank you, I was just listening to this mother here chirp on proudly about her new clutch of eggs. This guy on the other hand was telling me all about how his pack took down a large moose yesterday." Cain chatted on as if this was normal.

"So you can speak to animals?"she asked rhetorically, since the answer was obvious. With a look at the hawk, it hopped down to his forearm, spread it's wings and took to the air. Cain then knelt down and rubbed both sides of the wolf's neck vigorously while staring into it's eyes. After a few seconds the wolf got up and ran off while Cain waved a goodbye to it. He turned back to Liliana after dismissing the two.

"Hunting animals mostly, according to the knowledge I've received. It's amazing, really. All I have to do is call out to them and any in the area will come running. Now, as for my other power, can I have my knife, please?" he requested, a hint of excitement in his voice.

She handed him the throwing knife and waited with baited breathe as he closed his eyes, held the blade in a combat pose, and quickly chanted. "Pierce the spine, the eyes, the heart. Flay the skin and tear through the flesh. Eviscerate my hated enemy with thine golden light." As he began to speak, the six inch long double-edged blade began to glow a bright gold, the colour of the burning sun.

In one fluid motion, Cain's arm flashed out and sent the knife flying into a sturdy old oak tree. The heavy yet balanced blade spun end over end and embedded itself to the hilt in the bark. Liliana began to believe that the display was over when Cain quietly muttered "Pyr." With that single word of power, the wood around the implanted knife began to burn. The fire would have continued to immolate the old trunk had Cain not quickly cancelled the enchantment. He approached the tree and wrenched the knife from the now blackened bark.

"It doesn't just apply to projectile weapons. I can enchant any blade to possess that golden light. It's even strong enough to harm a God. To be honest, if these are the kind of abilities a beginning Campione can possess, I completely understand why people fear them. We have the capacity to kill the Gods themselves, if this kind of power was unleashed on a normal human's body, it would annihilate them," he said darkly.

He smiled then, "Sorry, let's not dwell on dark thoughts. Are you up for a sparring session?" he asked, "It would be a good opportunity to test out if we've both recovered fully."

With this reasoning lain before her, Liliana could only nod. Ten minutes later, they stood opposite each other in their full combat gear. Liliana was in another set of her black jacket, white undershirt and black skirt combo while Cain wore his damaged hardened leather armour. It may not be the best protection against swords, axes or spells but it was lightweight and relatively cheap compared to the weight and cost of chainmail or iron armour, with the added advantage of being easier to conceal. At least, that was Cain's reasoning when he decided on what he would wear into battle.

Liliana chanted, "My wings. Steel that becomes the form of my phantom blade. Il Maestro, grant me power!" With those spell words a beautiful decorated sabre appeared in her hands. The sunlight twinkled off of the razor sharp edge as she brandished it in a ready position. Unlike Liliana, Cain drew his two daggers, blackened by fire so as not to reflect and give away his position.

She paused and stared at him oddly, "You will not use your sword?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "Artemis sliced my sword in half." He sighed sadly, "It was a good blade too. Perfectly balanced and the length suited my fighting style. I'll need to get a replacement when we go to Milan. Anyway, don't worry about me. I'll be fine." he said with a smile.

With that, he charged straight ahead. Liliana, caught off guard by such a bold move, barely brought her sword up in time to block his initial strike. Metallic ringing echoed off of the trees as the fight began. No words were spoken as these two warriors focused solely on their martial dance. Cain stabbed with his left, reaching for Liliana's side when she swung downwards, effectively knocking the dagger aside before swiftly bringing Il Maestro across and locking his right dagger which had been racing for her arm.

Continuing with the motion, she thrust forward, forcing Cain to jump back. Before she could take the offensive, he rushed back in with a high slash at shoulder height. As Liliana raised her sword to counter, Cain dropped low and slapped the side of his left dagger against her ribs before diving past. His hands hit the ground and, with his enhanced strength and agility, he pushed off into the air again. This time he landed on his feet and he immediately turned around, just in time to block the incoming slash with both daggers.

The two combatants stared with gritted determination at one another as their weapons locked. Cain suddenly grinned and that simple action troubled Liliana. He thrust his arms forward and to the left, forcing Il Maestro out wide. As Liliana attempted to bring her sword back into a defensive position, Cain swept his right hand across and the dirt he had been concealing in his clenched hand dispersed into the air.

Liliana, who was caught completely off guard, could only let out a small scream of surprise when, blinded by the dirt, she felt herself falling to the ground. When the dust cloud cleared, she found herself with her back to the earth and Cain on top of her, his dagger against her throat. She gasped and found she could not reach his gaze. Cain, who had been smiling up until this point, cocked his head in confusion over her actions until he too realized why she had reacted so. His left hand, which he had used to keep himself elevated, had landed on her breast.

They froze momentarily, their hearts beginning to beat rapidly, and it wasn't from the exertion of their sparring. Faces red with embarrassment, many seconds ticked by before Cain leaped up, yelling "Sorry!" as he turned away. He scratched his head and tried to act nonchalant as she got up and brushed herself off. Sill refusing to look at her, he said "Anyway, I'll go make us some lunch!" With that he began to rush away.

Liliana, who up until that point had remained silent, shouted "Wait!" Cain stopped in his tracks and ever so slowly turned towards her. Though she remained awkward in her actions, there was a fierce determination in her eyes. "I refuse to do nothing anymore. As a knight I am sworn to serve one such as yourself. Therefore allow me to make lunch for you."

Her tone of voice made it seem more like a demand than a request so he, wisely, decided to back down. "Umm, okay then." he said hesitantly, caught completely off guard by her strange statement. She nodded stiffly and marched inside. Cain followed her, curious as to her unusual behaviour. Back inside, Liliana began searching through his food supplies, most of which was dried meat.

_I touched her... Oh god, I hope she knows that was an accident! I never meant for- She probably thinks I'm some kind of creep now!_ Cain frantically thought to himself. He had merely been propping himself up as he forced a surrender. He would never do something like that on purpose! However... It wasn't necessarily a bad feeling... He shook his head vigorously, dispelling such perverted thoughts.

"Where do you keep your vegetables?" she asked tersely. The silver haired knight seemed to have calmed down some from her odd outburst and returned to her serious attitude.

"Follow me." he said, motioning with his head towards the door as he recovered his composure as well. He pulled a large bowl out of a cupboard and the two walked outside again, this time circling to the back of the cabin as Liliana followed Cain's lead. What he showed her was a small eight metre by eight metre patch of cultivated soil. In this soil grew many types of plants, from potatoes, to carrots, to lettuce. As strange as it was for all of these different plants to be growing in the same area, the small figurine in the centre of this garden was stranger still. A wooden carving of a buffalo head stood at about a foot in height, painted brown and red. Liliana could sense a strange kind of magic in this carving she had never encountered before.

Following her gaze, Cain knelt down beside the garden and began inspecting the vegetables as he explained. "The totem is blessed to protect and fertilize plants as well as allow those that would end up killing one another fighting over root space to grow together." he spoke casually, as if this was nothing truly noteworthy. Liliana knew otherwise. Amongst herbalists (including witches), such an instrument was an incredible find and a closely guarded secret. It was said that these totems were originally created by Native American shamans who would construct much larger versions and place them in forests to protect sacred ground.

"How did you come across such a rare item?" she asked him in reverent tones. She knelt down across from him and began picking the vegetables she planned on using.

"A Native medicine woman came by one day and asked me to get some herbs for her. Her tribe had encountered a plague and she needed one last ingredient for the cure but she could not get to it. I agreed to help, got the herb she needed and brought it back to her. As a sign of thanks she gave me that totem." he told her simply. He paused to pull a stubborn pepper from it's stem."It's incredibly useful. Since then I've been able to grow and eat vegetables as often as I want, no matter the time of year."

Minutes later they were back inside, where Liliana placed the bowl down on the counter above the cupboards and began to wash and chop up the freshly picked vegetables. Cain reached forward to help her but she politely insisted that she cook for him. Realizing it was pointless to argue with the incredibly stubborn knight, Cain leaned against the wall, sighed and allowed her to do as she pleased. As she prepared lunch, they discussed their plans.

"We can leave tomorrow if you want." Cain said, "I'm assuming you'd like to report back as soon as possible and it shouldn't take more than a day to reach the nearest bus stop on foot."

Liliana shook her head, "If you wish it, we do not have to walk. Using my Flight magic we can be at the airport I came from within a matter of hours."

He glanced at her, startled by her proclamation. "You can sustain Flight magic for that long?" he asked with a tone of surprise. He knew that Liliana was one of the best knights around today, her reputation alone told him that, but to be able to use such an incredibly difficult form of magic for such a long period of time was a feat only the most accomplished witches, ones who had also attained the ability to slow their ageing process, could typically perform.

She nodded in affirmation, that serious expression that only she could pull off on her face. He chuckled as he shook his head with amazement. "Then that's what we'll do. Once we reach the airport, we'll get tickets for the next plane to Milan. Once we're back within cell range you can contact the Bronze Black Cross and fill them in. Sound good?"

Liliana nodded once more, though a question came to her lips. "Cain, what about all of this?" she paused in her chopping and swept her knife hand around, encompassing the entire room. "What will you do about this house and all of these artifacts?"

Cain smiled slightly, as if he knew something she did not. "Don't worry about it, you'll see." He said this with such confidence that she was now very intrigued.

Suddenly Cain straightened, and with a sort of strained casualness he excused himself. He hurried towards the door and left. She stopped her cooking for second, worried about his hasty exit. Liliana stopped herself though when she thought of why he would leave like that. The silver-haired knight had been with him all morning and he had yet to use the bathroom. If she were to follow him she might see more than was proper for a maiden. She blushed deeply and returned to her cooking. No, definitely better to just wait for his return.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Cain stared up at the sun as it descended from it's zenith. After another fit of extreme pain he found himself on the ground. _Abilities like the Golden Arrow take more time for my arm to backlash. I guess that's good information to know. Maybe it's because unlike the Maiden's Blessing, the power does not flow through my arms but comes directly from my spirit. Strange but it seems like the only likely answer._ He somehow found the strength of mind to analyze his situation as a bird flew overhead, chirping a sweet spring ballad. He had grown used to the pain by now and found it was becoming slightly easier to recover from one of these fits. Cain shakily rose to his feet, leaning against a nearby tree for support. He took a deep breathe to steady himself and set out for home.

He arrived back at the cabin and brushed himself off. His hand reached for the door handle but stopped, his conscience coming into play. He felt guilty for lying to Liliana, for all she had shown him was kindness, in her own way. But he didn't really have a choice. He shook his head briskly once more, attempting to rid himself of these thoughts and turned the door handle. He stood in the doorway and his guilty conscience was quickly forgotten as his nose was immediately assailed by a wondrous smell that had his taste buds dancing, something he didn't believe possible anymore.

Cain found Liliana putting the finishing touches on two bowls of some sort of salad. He could see pieces of meat mixed in with the lettuce, carrots and other vegetables. She turned towards him as the door opened. "Please do not leave without me Cain. I should accompany you everywhere so I may act as your guard." she said seriously, with a slightly disapproving look on her face.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry to worry you, I had to go to the bathroom. Anyway, it smells delicious!" he said, quickly turning the subject away from his strange exit previously.

"It's not that much... I didn't have many ingredients to work with. Please, eat." she replied, holding a bowl out to him. He took the bowl of salad and sat down at the table, Liliana doing the same. Cain speared some lettuce, a cherry tomato and a piece of rabbit meat with his fork, snatching it up into his mouth. He froze as the amazing amount of flavour made his mouth water. He had never really enjoyed eating, it had always been just something his body required to function to him. Flavour, texture, tenderness, all of these things were secondary to wolfing down whatever he had for sustenance. But this, somehow this simple meal had him rethinking his philosophy. Liliana stared at him with baited breathe, waiting for his reaction.

Finally, after savouring every bite, he swallowed. "Amazing! I had no idea you were such an excellent cook!" he exclaimed.

She smiled, cheeks going red. "So, you like it?"she asked with delight.

"Like it? I've never tasted anything so good and so healthy at the same time before! Where did you learn to cook like this?" he asked in response.

She looked away, clearly embarrassed that he was making such a large deal over a skill of hers like this. "I- taught myself, actually. A knight should know how to make healthy meals for herself and I'd practice all the time." She put her hands in her lap and stared at the wall, her cherry cheeks giving away her bashfulness. "If you'd like, I could cook for you more often."

"Absolutely! Liliana, you're an amazing cook. I truly mean that." he said sincerely.

She smiled once more, "Alright, it is a knight's duty to fulfill the wishes of her king." She looked absolutely adorable as she sat there, blushing greatly and with a somehow determined look about her. He felt a slight flutter in his chest, something he had never experienced before. With such a cute expression gracing her beautiful, fairy-like face, Cain thought that maybe the world wasn't such a dark place after all.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

In a sparsely decorated apartment in Milan, a man sat in front of a television with brown, bored eyes. The man scratched at his growing stubble as he absentmindedly flipped through the channels, attempting to find anything that would interest him and bring him away from his tedious day. Wearing a black business suit around his surprisingly muscled frame, he slouched back in the ugly, uncomfortable sofa. His black hair hung down to his shoulders in braids.

As the man sat and stared at the television with disinterest, something piqued his attention. His phone had begun to vibrate in his pocket. Quickly pulling out the phone, he checked the caller I.D. "Anonymous" came up on the screen, with a blocked number. He answered the call with a "Yes?"

"A new contract has come up." came the cold reply from the other end of the line. That voice, so lax of emotion, had come to signify an increase in fortune to the man. He had known and worked with this man for many years though he would never be so foolish as to call him a friend.

The man with the black hair asked in an indifferent tone, "What is it?"

"Someone desires the use of both of our skills." That chilly voice alone was enough to freeze a man's heart where he stood. "A joint operation. The details are in the report you are receiving."

The man in the business suit could almost imagine his colleague's hawk eyes glaring and the sneer on his lips at the word "joint". People in their profession were very prideful of their talents and, even though they admittedly worked better as a team, it was an insult to their pride they could only wash away with high enough compensation.

He sat up on the couch and flicked the T.V off. "Who is the target?" he demanded with a voice full of avarice, for high enough compensation for two meant something interesting.

"A boy." the voice on the phone replied and for a moment the man with black hair felt a sense of foreboding, for hiring both himself and his colleague meant that he was more than just 'a boy'. The next statement cemented his reasoning, "His name is Cain Lorne. The Cursed Fool." That made the man pause, for many had heard of this particular boy's tale, one which wizards told their disciples as a warning of the dangers of arrogance.

Also well heard were his exploits after the tragedy, becoming a feared adventurer and relic hunter who many had tried to kill and failed. He looked around his small, uncomfortable apartment with displeasure. The boy would definitely be a tough mark, but for one so obviously adept at avoiding death, the price on his head would be more than enough to counterbalance the danger. So reasoned the man as he said "I'll take the job."

* * *

At about four in the afternoon the following day, Cain found himself on a crowded airliner across the Atlantic, heading towards Italy. Liliana sat beside him, fast asleep. She had used up most of her energy sustaining her flight magic and by the time she had run out they had landed near enough to the airport that Cain had carried her the rest of the way, ignoring her exhausted protests.

People of many different cultures were all around them. Many were North Americans going on vacation, though there were others who had connecting flights, those who were travelling on business and some were heading back home. Flight attendants walked back and forth down the aisles, offering food and drink to those who desired such.

Feeling movement, he turned towards Liliana's resting form. In her sleep, she leaned on his shoulder to get comfortable and he tensed up awkwardly. He couldn't say it felt bad and she looked adorable; lips just slightly open, eyes closed, her face peaceful and serene, she looked as though she were about to give a loving kiss. It was much different from her normal solemn expression, though that was no less endearing. Even though he wasn't exactly comfortable with how close she was, he knew she needed her rest so he did not disturb her. Cain suddenly realized what he was thinking of and pushed it far away from his mind, instead planning ahead for what was to come.

Liliana had called her superior the minute she had received a signal. After informing him of the situation, he had immediately purchased two tickets for a direct flight to Milan in their names. There would be a car waiting for them at the airport to take them to the Bronze Black Cross headquarters. According to Liliana, their leader was eager to meet him, which just made Cain nervous. He knew it was smart to have the support of a powerful association like Liliana's standing behind him, yet, though he trusted the silver-haired knight, he did not trust her company. Any of them could cause an incident when they discovered who he was, though hopefully it would not come to that.

His thoughts began to wander as the darkness in them grew, as if lost in the pitch blackness surrounding them. Cain reflected on his past mistakes and the dangers ahead of him. Milan was a treacherous place for him, where one wrong step or careless word could cause a catastrophe. He was coming back home, though it was not his home anymore. It would be more accurate to describe what he was doing as 'returning to the scene of the crime'.

"Hmm... Wha..?" he heard as Liliana began to awaken. She felt something hard but reassuring against her head and she slowly, confusedly opened her eyes. When she realized what she had done in her sleep, she immediately sat upright with a startled "Ahh!"

Several nearby passengers glared at them while others issued various shushes. Liliana hurriedly said "I'm sorry Cain! To be touching you like that is quite shameful of me!" She bowed her beet red head and stared at her now clenched fists in her lap. Her heart beat ferociously as her mind ran wild, she pictured a man embracing his woman as she slept against him while candles flickered in the background of their master bedroom.

Cain held out his arms as he smiled at her, attempting to hold back the coming wave of apologies. "Don't worry about it!" he said, "I figured you were tired from all of the power you used earlier so I thought it best to let you catch up on some well deserved sleep."

"Still!" she lowered her voice so that the others would not hear her. "What if we were attacked? I would not be of much use asleep."

He smiled in an attempt to placate her. "In these crowded conditions? And with so many witnesses?" he argued logically. She couldn't deny that he raised a good point but still! Before she could counter him however, he continued. "Besides, I was keeping an eye out and from what you've told me, my body will react when danger is nearby, right?"

She nodded in confirmation, glad that the conversation had turned away from her embarrassing actions. "Yes, from what we have gathered, a Campione's body will begin to unconsciously gather power when danger approaches. Usually the level of power will balance out with what it senses so the Campione can adequately fight back."

Cain began nodding as he stored the information away in his mind. "Anyway," he said, "you can go back to sleep if you want. I'll keep watch."

Reminded of her 'shameful' display, Liliana turned away from him. "That won't be necessary. I feel fully recovered!" she exclaimed in a rushed manner.

Cain couldn't help but smile at his embarrassed companion. With that, relative silence fell as the plane continued it's flight toward Milan and adventures the strange pair could never imagine.

* * *

A few hours later, Cain and Liliana began walking towards the exit of the Milan Malpensa Airport. People bustled all around them, from groups excitedly chatting and looking around to individuals quietly heading for their next destination. The two belonged to the latter category, quickly pushing past groups of obnoxious tourists as they made for the exit where their car awaited them.

Along the way, Cain spotted a hallway which a few men had just left. He saw the sign of a stick figure man above the corridor and grabbed Liliana by the arm to stop her forward march. She looked back at him quizzically and he shrugged apologetically. "Bathroom!" he almost shouted, attempting to be heard over the many voices that echoed and amplified through the large airport. She nodded in understanding and stood beside a pillar, indicating that she would wait for his return.

Liliana watched as Cain disappeared into the crowd once more, only to reappear once more as he headed into the men's room. Behind him, a man in a suit with long braided black hair followed, but as it was a washroom, Liliana thought nothing of it.

Cain was washing his hands when he felt something was wrong. The only other person in the men's room was an Italian man with black braids who was currently at one of the urinals. For some reason, Cain began to feel nervous energy coursing through his system. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, uncertain as to why this would be happening when he saw movement in the mirror. In a flash, the man turned and a dagger flew Cain's way. He dove to his right and the knife clattered harmlessly to the ground.

The man was on him in an instant, his face grim and determined. The face of a killer. One he had seen many times before. Cain cursed himself for not seeing through this sooner as he grappled with the assassin. Unarmed and armour-less, all Cain could do was use his inhuman strength. The man thrust another dagger forward with his right. Cain backed away to avoid his attacks before throwing a punch with his left at the man's side. The man eagerly took the hit, there was more force than he anticipated as he felt a rib crack, but kept the advantage as he plunged yet another dagger he held in his left down at Cain's skull.

Expecting such a move, Cain raised his right arm and intercepted the stab, the dagger piercing his forearm. They stood perfectly still for a second as the assassin waited for Cain to collapse in pain. But this never happened. Instead the teen stood his ground, gritting his teeth in a show of willpower as he fought off the burning agony that his nerves sent to him.

As the assassin paused in amazement, Cain kicked out with his right leg. The strength enhanced blow connected with the killer's knee, bending it out at an odd angle. The man grunted in pain and quickly disengaged, heading for the door. Cain grabbed hold of the dagger implanted in his right arm with his left hand, fiercely pulling it free before sending it back at the assassin. "You forgot something!" he yelled as the man turned the corner, jerking to the side as the thrown dagger found it's way to his shoulder.

Liliana, still waiting outside, saw the man in the suit limp into the crowd and a moment later watched as Cain rushed out, looking from side to side until he spotted where the man was pushing through the crowds. She stepped forward to ask him what was going on as he rushed by when she realized he was holding his right arm tightly.

"No time for questions!" he yelled as she opened her mouth to do just that. "We have to follow that guy!" Wasting no time, they pushed through the crowd and exited the airport, seeing Milan for the first time in years. He could spend no time reminiscing though as he saw the disturbance in the crowd undoubtedly caused by the fleeing assassin. He set off after him with Liliana right behind, confused but trusting in his judgement.

Cain reached into a pocket and retrieved a silk sack the size of a small handbag as he ran. His arm delved into the bag up to the elbow, careful so as to not bleed on the sack, and with a thought, felt his hands touch the tough material of his cloak. He pulled it out of the bag and hurriedly fastened the clasp around his neck before reaching in once more and pulling out a throwing knife and one of his combat daggers.

This was yet another of his enchanted items. It was a silk sack that when opened, connected to another dimension in which he could place whatever items he desired, so long as they fit within the circumference of the bag's mouth. It was an incredibly useful item for travelling and keeping his personal belongings and money on him at all times.

The man suddenly made a left turn, entering an apartment building. Cain and Liliana dashed in after him. Luckily, there was no one at the entrance to see them. The room was plain with little in the way of furniture and an elevator was positioned opposite the entrance. The two stopped for a moment, unsure of where their adversary had gone to when they heard a door to the right close with a _thump_. Hanging over this door was a sign in Italian reading "Stairwell".

Without hesitation they ran once more, pushing open the door and charging up the stairs. The thudding of feet above them indicated they had made the right choice as they raced after the hired murderer. Four stories up, they reached the top floor. Cain immediately pushed the door open and with a twist of his arms, he sent the cloak spiralling around him. The sound of two metallically quietened wheezes were heard and two bullets dropped from the folds of the black cloak. As they clinked against the ground, Cain flicked his wrist and sent his throwing knife through the air.

The assassin, his left arm already useless thanks to his own dagger that was wedged deep into his shoulder, could not react quickly enough. Cain's knife spun end over end and impaled itself into the man's right wrist, forcing him to drop the silenced pistol he had held there. Liliana, who had followed right behind him, summoned Il Maestro and held it at the ready.

The assassin just stood there, completely defenceless. "I have failed." he said, though if there was any grief or regret in those words, it did not show.

Cain stepped forward, dagger in hand. "Who sent you!?" he demanded. "Was it Grieves? Or maybe Leichan?" The man remained silent, an eery grin creeping onto his face. Seeing this, Cain screamed "Answer me you son of a bitch!" Any attempt at intimidation failed and the man began to chuckle. His braids flickered in the wind as a strong breeze came along, brought in from the coast.

Suddenly, a shot was heard. Cain and Liliana dove beneath the cover of the parapet surrounding the roof as what had just occurred registered in their minds. The man ceased to smile as his body jerked forward. He looked down to find a large hole where his heart had been. "You bastard." the man uttered before falling forward, a pool of blood spread from him as he hit the floor. The assassin saw the blackness of death envelope him as he heard a voice in his earpiece. _Sorry old friend but your failure could not be tolerated._ A faint click could be heard in the background as his former ally rechambered and readied his next shot. The man could only give a fatalistic smile with the last of his energy. _Business is business._

Suddenly, the body of the assassin burst into flames. Cain and Liliana hardly noticed as a second shot rang out and part of the concrete parapet blasted apart. A third shot followed. Then a fourth and a fifth. Each striking a different section of the apparently flimsy cover they hid behind, some within centimetres of their bodies.

"Any ideas?' Cain asked, a hopeless smile on his face. Normally, Campione would shrug off mortal weapons used against them but in his case it was a real danger. Since his body was still newly adapted to his condition, he was much weaker than other Devil Kings. The skin on his right arm had just finished closing and he didn't feel like testing his luck against a rifle that tore through cement as if it were no more than putty.

Liliana, with only a slight trace of trepidation in her eyes, shook her head. "None. I cannot fly yet and we have no idea where this sniper is. It seems we're pinned." Even in such a desperate situation, she still remained brave and practical. He had to admire that.

Cain sighed in resignation as a round flew over his head, cracking by to smash through the door leading back to the stairwell. "I was afraid you'd say that. Alright, hold on tight and pray for me. This is gonna hurt. A lot." he told her.

She was only able to issue a confused "Huh?" before Cain leaped towards her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her close as she suddenly felt nothing but air beneath them. Another shot sounded somewhere above them though she couldn't tell from where over her scream of fear. Liliana felt herself shifting as Cain positioned himself beneath her and moments later a sickening crunch was heard as they crashed onto the pavement of the alleyway next to the apartment.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Some few blocks away from the roof where the two teens and his former accomplice fought, on the fifth floor of another apartment, the sniper lay, concealed by the half closed curtains covering the window. Cold, deadened eyes stared through the magnification scope of his rifle. Dressed in casual clothing consisting of a red t-shirt and beige cargo shorts, he rested comfortably on the rug floor as he fired for the fifth time, easily taking the heavy recoil on his shoulder and rechambering the weapon.

His ease using the military-grade M24A3 sniper rifle spoke of his expertise. The large .338 Lapua Magnum round smashed through part of the parapet his target was hiding behind. As he rechambered once more, he watched as the boy moved, grabbing his companion and leaping from the roof. Realizing he was about to miss his chance, the assassin quickly pulled the trigger and the shot zoomed through the air at where the two had once been.

Though he had just failed, he showed no signs of disappointment. In truth, he showed no sign of any emotion whatsoever, his face so lacking in expression or life it seemed as if it were carved from stone itself. His expression never changed as he got up and began taking apart the three and a half foot long rifle. His combat gloves protected him from the heat as he disassembled the gun and packed it neatly away in a backpack to match his nondescript clothing.

He made sure that there were no signs of his being there before swiftly leaving the apartment. The assassin climbed down the stairs and left through the back exit. As he walked down the street, which was emptied the minute the shots began, police sirens could be heard approaching. He calmly turned down a side street and disappeared into the cityscape beyond, planning his next move in light of this new development.

* * *

The next morning, Cain awoke to find all of his body in pain, aching pain that gnawed at the nerves and chewed at the bones. He groaned and ever so slowly opened his eyes. When his vision cleared he found himself staring at an unfamiliar room. A door faced opposite the bed, currently slightly ajar. To his left was a window, which was open and allowing for a refreshing breeze to enter. On his right was a small table which had a blue and black pack on it. Besides these small things, the room was bare. But that was not what attracted his attention. His eyes fell upon the girl next to him, sitting in a chair with her upper body lying on the bed he was in. _She must have fallen asleep waiting for me._ Liliana stirred as she felt movement and when she realized he was awake she immediately gasped in shock.

"Cain! Are you alright?" she asked as she leaped to her feet and leaned directly over him, her face inches from his while she stared into his eyes as if to confirm what she saw but didn't believe. He felt his heart begin to race at the closeness of her trembling lips as he saw tears begin to gather at the corner of her eyes and her cheeks turning rosy red.

"Yes... thank you." he said raggedly, his throat thoroughly parched. She stood up and turned her head as she brushed away the tears with her forearm. "Sorry to worry you. I didn't realize the damage would be so severe." He looked down and found that he was absolutely covered in bandages, any more and they might as well have shoved him in a sarcophagus and be done with it. Just from what he felt he could tell he had broken most of the bones in his body. He was amazed he was still alive, let alone able to move at all.

"You idiot!" she yelled suddenly, taking breathes to stop her beginning sobs. She looked at him with a fierce gaze and put her hands down on the bed beside him, wanting to make her point known. "You're not like the- other Campione. You don't- have an ability to- come back from the dead. If you- die... A king- shouldn't be so reckless!" Though she was loud, Cain understood she only meant it out of worry and that she was not truly angry with him.

He nodded quietly, though he found that even that small movement pained him. "I'm sorry Liliana. Please don't cry. It was my fault for doing something so crazy." He reached up and, though most of the bones had just recently mended, placed his hand on Liliana's to comfort her. At his touch she jumped up from his side and knelt down before him, eyes fixated on the floor.

"It is my fault as well. If I had reacted sooner and recovered more quickly the situation would have never become so dire. I must beg for your forgiveness for my failure and my rudeness, my lord." she apologized.

Cain sighed in annoyance. _She doesn't know how to act in front of me so she reverts to her knightly attitude._ "Liliana, will you please get up and stop apologizing like that?"

She shook her head in refusal as she stared into the tile floor. "I'm sorry Cain, but I must accept responsibility for failing you." She waited for his response, but was met with silence. She felt her heart begin to race as she feared he was angry with her. She would normally be afraid if she had angered someone like him because of their power and the havoc they could wreak but she felt that, for some reason, she was more worried about his anger on a personal level. That confused her and made this all the more necessary.

"Alright then, how about we share the blame fifty/fifty?"

She finally raised her head with a confounded "Huh?" He was smiling that gentle smile that seemed to naturally bloom from him like a newly blossomed cherry tree. In spite of herself, she couldn't help but smile back as she laughed at his proposal. The guilt momentarily wiped free, they both enjoyed a tender moment.

From the other side of the slightly ajar door, someone listened to the two converse. The girl was wearing a sort of impish, catlike smile as she mischievously eavesdropped. She was reminded of another such scene that had occurred some short time before, though there were clear differences between the boy from that time and the one now.

Cain turned his attention to the door, a serious expression suddenly appeared on his face. "I know you're there. Come out now before I consider you my enemy."

The girl stepped out from behind the doorway and walked into the room, before stopping several feet from the edge of the bed. Liliana's mouth gaped as she yelled, "Karen!? What are you doing here!?" Her face turned beet red at the prospect of this girl hearing what she had said.

Karen wore a black and white french maid's outfit and as she bowed, she brushed her green hair aside. "Greetings, Lord Cain, Liliana. My name is Karen Jankulovski and I am Liliana's personal maid." That suspicious smile was still on her face as she introduced herself, as if she was silently enjoying their awkward behaviour.

Cain regarded her mistrustfully, giving a terse nod in response. Liliana, recovering from her potential embarrassment, turned to her maid with questioning eyes. "What are you doing here, Karen? I thought you were training."

Karen nodded in affirmation, "I was but then I was told to relay to you that Commander Abelli would wish to speak to you two 'as soon as it is convenient'." she said, imitating the Commander's tone.

"Thank you, Karen. We will be sure to meet with the Commander as soon as we can."

"Alright, I'll head back to training now." She said with a smile as she walked towards the door. "Be sure to close the door if you two decide to get intimate~" Her teasing tone made it evident that she had witnessed more than either of them was comfortable with.

Liliana grew red once more, shouting "Karen!" after her as the troublesome maid waved around the corner of the door. She turned around to find Cain raising himself from the bed. "Cain, you shouldn't-" She rushed over to help him when he held out a hand, stopping her in her tracks.

"I'm fine. My body has recovered, I just need to see how completely." he said as calmly as he could, for though he would not show it, his body was on fire. It was true that his body had healed, but every cell ached from the major reconstruction. Liliana stood back, though she dearly wanted to help him. Slowly, ever so slowly, he raised himself to ninety degrees, partly due to the pain but also because it would not be wise to ruin the healing he had gone through if he jumped out of bed like he hadn't fallen five stories to what would have been anyone else's demise.

After he was sure that his body was indeed well enough to tolerate the upright position, he turned so that his legs hung over the side of the bed. Wrapped in bandages, whoever had dressed him had allowed him to wear a pair of shorts over top, likely for decency. He tested his weight on each foot, trying to discover any flaw that may harm his body even more. Finding none, Cain slowly rose to his feet until he stood unsteadily in front of her. Liliana remained silent, allowing him to do what he needed to in peace. She reflected on his condition and the position they were in. Commander Abelli wanted to see them immediately, which meant that he had something important to discuss. An enquiry from Cain brought her from her contemplative state.

"Did your people heal me or did my body really heal itself to this extent?" he asked in disbelief, for even though he hurt everywhere, his body was indeed fully recovered.

She shook her head. "A Campione's magical resistance is too high for normal healing magic techniques to work." she explained, "Magic needs to be directly injected into a Campione to have an effect. For example, through ingestion or-" she gulped and blushed deeply, "Through a kiss..."

A look of understanding passed over his face. "Ah, I see. Well, it's a good thing it wasn't necessary." What he meant when he said this was that it was good that the healing itself was not required as it would need to be administered in such an inconvenient and compromising way, but Liliana interpreted this differently.

A strangely insulted looked came to her face as she stepped towards him and looked him fiercely in the eyes. "Are you saying that I am not attractive enough to kiss!?"

"No! Nononono, that's not what I meant at all!" he told her frantically, waving his arms as if to ward off her suddenly terrifying gaze. Unconvinced, Liliana glared at him with injured pride, though how such a seemingly innocent comment would affect her so was beyond him. _How did I end up in this mess?!_

* * *

Half an hour later, after finally managing to explain, the Campione and the fairy-like knight walked through the Bronze Black Cross headquarters. The main hallways were lined with large marble columns, while the light blue walls were decorated with paintings from famous artists, ancient weapons and suits of armour (which Cain had to resist stopping to admire), the organization's banners, and doors leading to different departments.

Members wandered the halls. Students going to classes and masters or other staff going about their business wearing modern suits and outfits, though all stopped and watched the blond haired boy as he marched past them in his contrasting archaic black cloak and leather armour. Most regarded him with a mix of horror and admiration, for at this point all had heard of who had arrived so dramatically at their doorstep. They whispered to one another as the duo walked past, speculating and spreading rumours about his achievements. But there were a few, no more than two or three, who gazed at him with a sense of vague recognition, as if trying to remember the exact words of a poem they had heard long ago. No one approached the two however, keeping a fearful distance from the newest Campione.

To his credit, Cain pretended to ignore all of this, his eyes set toward his destination. Inwardly, he greatly desired to be away from this place and these people who peered at him with too curious eyes but he refused to show any fear or reluctance. Liliana, who had been leading the way, stopped in front of a large set of double doors made of oak. The two heavy doors were laden with carvings, the most prominent of which was the carving of a dragon's gaping maw in the centre, covering most of the wood. There were no guards around, though they were not necessary as the wards that Cain sensed surrounding the area would eliminate any unwanted guests. Liliana turned as if to ask him a question, but he interrupted her with a nod of reassurance. The knight understood that being here made him uncomfortable, though she did not understand why.

"I'm alright. Let's not keep the Commander waiting." Cain told her, half jokingly. She gave him a nod of her own and knocked on the door. There was a pause before a muffled "Enter." was heard within. Liliana rotated the brass handle and opened the magnificent door with Cain following closely behind her.

They entered a large room, suitable for a man of the Commander's stature. Tapestries lined the walls, depicting ancient tales of valour and bravery as fierce knights slew monstrous beasts to save the damsel. There were also trinkets lining two tables on either side of the room, many of which came from far off corners of the globe. Cain suddenly gained a new level of respect for the Commander of this guild as he, of all people, could understand a love for relics.

The man in question stood behind a grand table, full of the clutter of a ruler. Papers were stacked everywhere, with only a small area left clear for him to write. He watched the sun through a massive, wall length window as it was drawn across the sky by the fiery chariot of Helios. Abelli turned to face the two as they approached. He, along with everything else in the room, was massive. A hulking brute of a man, the Commander towered at almost seven feet in height. His tan, battle-hardened skin possessed enough muscle to win an arm wrestling contest with a grizzly bear. Contrary to his barbaric physique, he wore an expensive suit rolled up at the sleeves, made doubly so as it was no doubt custom made to fit him. A grin could be seen through his short but thick and curly brown beard as he spread his arms out wide and said "Welcome! I trust you've recovered well? My name is Luca Abelli and I proudly run the Bronze Black Cross."

Cain bowed in reply, stating "Greetings, my name is Cain and I must give you my thanks for the care I have received."

Abelli laughed in response as he waved his hand dismissively, "Please, let's skip the formalities. I'm glad to see you're feeling better. Liliana has told me a lot about you since you two arrived. Hell, she refused to leave your bedside while you were unconscious." Cain turned to Liliana, who grew red.

"Really? Thank you, Liliana." he said in a tone of surprise and sincerity.

"I- I was merely doing my duty as a knight and bodyguard!" she argued.

Abelli chuckled, amused to see his Grand Knight embarrassed. He did love to tease her so. Karen and Abelli were alike in that regard, it seemed.

"So, I see you like my collection here." Abelli stated, noting the sparkle of admiration that slipped through Cain's mask of impartiality. He was caught off guard by the casual manner of the Commander and took a second to reply.

"Yes, it's quite a grand one. Almost as large as mine. But there is one thing I noticed." he said, walking over to the table on the left. Cain looked over each item but paid attention to one in particular. He picked up a pyramid shaped object made of pure obsidian and held it to the light for scrutinization. An eyebrow on Abelli's face rose in curiosity.

"Oh? What might that be?" the Commander enquired.

Cain turned towards him with a satisfied smile and held the object aloft. "What you thought was the Black Pyramid of Aepep is actually nothing more than a fake." he said triumphantly. He tossed the Pyramid to Abelli who caught it and, with a sour yet interested expression, inspected the item.

Cain noticed the confusion painted on Liliana's face and smiled. "The Black Pyramid of Aepep. An item gifted to the Egyptian priest Aepep by none other than Anubis himself as a reward for his piety to the ancient Protector and Final Judge of the Dead. Rumoured to have the ability to emit an aura of pure death that would kill anyone caught inside the affected area within minutes, the priest soon became corrupted by the overwhelming power he possessed. He began to use it's killing abilities in order to sacrifice to his God. But Aepep went too far." he explained excitedly, enjoying his chance to share his knowledge with others. He continued his tale as both the Commander and Liliana listened intently.

"He had his most devout followers gather up villagers from nearby towns and forced them to lie before the Black Pyramid. He activated the divine weapon and as his zealots chanted holy scriptures, the villagers died one by one. Anubis, angered at the wasted lives, took form before the stunned Aepep, using the blood of the villagers to form his monstrous half human-half canine body. 'Are you not pleased, my holy master?' Aepep asked fearfully. In response, Anubis cut him down where he stood, shredding his body limb from limb before feeding his still beating heart to Ammit the Devourer. As the zealots attempted to flee the process was repeated. Red mixed with red that day, the life blood of priest and villager, murderer and victim, merging to form a pool at which the Pyramid lay in the centre. Purified by the God's justice, the Pyramid would never again kill one whose soul was goodly in nature and soon became a figment of legend, hidden away amongst the many tragedies of the past." As Cain finished his speech, Abelli looked at him dubiously.

"But how do you know it to be a fake?" he asked.

"Turn it over." Cain said, making a circular motion with his fingers. "Underneath is a scripture in Egyptian that reads 'Final judgement awaits the dead.' Now what most don't know is that on the true Black Pyramid there is a second inscription. But this inscription isn't anywhere obvious. If you turn the writing over and do this..." he pulled one of his throwing knives from it's sheathe. He quickly walked over and before either of the two could react, he quickly slit his finger, smearing the blood over the hieroglyphics. After waiting several seconds, nothing significant occurred. "It is supposed to read 'Life is by what the soul is judged.'"

Abelli stood silently as he listened to this eager explanation. He nodded as he followed Cain's instructions and discovered that it indeed did not read as it should. "Hmm, I see. But how do you know this?" he asked, though he already suspected the answer.

Cain grinned and reached into that magical bag of his, pulling out an almost identical pyramid. "Because I have the original right here. Picked it up a while ago while travelling through Egypt on a job. People don't exaggerate when they say that Egyptian tombs are full of traps by the way. I was nearly sliced in two by a cleverly concealed guillotine. Not to mention impaled on a wall of spikes or killed by the animated statues the ancient God had guarding it." he chuckled as he showed this to Abelli as well.

Before the wound could heal, Cain wiped his bleeding finger against the scripture. This time it shone bright red. Before their eyes, the writing changed, revealing the message as he predicted. The Commander nodded in admiration as he looked over the real Black Pyramid of Aepep. Meanwhile Liliana watched in a mix of admiration and contemplation over what she had just learned of her companion. She remained silent as she watched these two men bond over their common interest in relics. _He's been wrapped in too... How does the Commander always manage to do this?_ She thought to herself uneasily.

Luca Abelli always seemed to become instant friends with anyone he met, constantly coming out favourably from negotiations due to his charisma and friendly demeanour. This talent was partly the reason for him becoming the leader of the Bronze Black Cross after the previous leader had retired. One encounter with him and a strict priest would be dancing arm in arm and singing drinking songs. Liliana found this charming ability of his to be on par with Erica's diplomatic prowess, both of which scared and intimidated her beyond measure. It seemed the newest Devil King was no exception to the Commander's abilities. Within minutes the two were engrossed in an excited conversation about some ancient talisman from Australian folklore.

"Liliana, dear? Could you bring us all some tea?" the Commander asked, bringing her back from her contemplation.

"Huh? Oh, yes sir." she replied hesitantly. Liliana got the strange feeling that she was being dismissed but she ignored it. She opened the door and turned down the hall, taking a left and soon enough arriving at the kitchens. Liliana showed a small smile as she walked past some of the staff as they bustled about, intent on cooking meals for the workers who missed the typical lunch hour or were getting extra food for an early dinner. She truly did enjoy being here, making meals as she honed her craft. Making food that was both delicious and healthy was not a, the pun was inevitable, piece of cake and she took pride in her skill.

Finding a kettle, she filled it with water and tea leaves before putting it on the burner of one of the unoccupied stoves. As she waited for the kettle to heat up she took the initiative and began making sandwiches from the left overs that the cooks kept from lunch in case of emergency. Soon Cain and the Commander would be able to enjoy a nice cup of tea with a sandwich. The boy who, through some trick of fate, she had gained as a companion and King, would once again be eating her cooking. She remembered how he had smiled as he ate the salad she had made, eyes full of delight and enjoyment. For some reason this thought made her blush and she dropped the half finished sandwich on the cutting board as she attempted to cover her red face from any prying eyes. His smile always seemed to make her chest contract and she shook her head to rid herself of that feeling.

_No, I am merely a knight serving a king. There's nothing inappropriate about my actions or feelings._ She told herself firmly. With new resolve she finished her task and headed back to the Commander's office minutes later. When she arrived she felt the atmosphere had a different, more serious air to it. She opened the door and found Abelli and Cain shaking hands, both with grim, determined looks on their faces. _What were they discussing?_ She asked herself, perplexed by the change in both men.

Abelli turned to face her, arms wide as he welcomed his Grand Knight back. "Ah, perfect timing! Now that negotiations are over we can have a nice cup of tea! Sandwiches too? My my, you've never done that before." he said with a grin, his voice teasing but grateful.

"Uk- I- I thought they would go well with the tea." she stammered. _Negotiations? They've already finished?_ She thought. She offered them both the tea and sandwiches she brought and while Abelli gladly accepted, Cain declined.

With great chomps resembling a crocodile snapping it's jaws, Abelli devoured the sandwich in his hand. In between great bites, the Commander said "Oh, **munch** I forgot to ask. **crunch** Where do you -mmm, delicious!- plan on staying? There are guest rooms here if you'd like."

Cain shook his head with a polite smile, "Thank you for the offer but I will make my own arrangements" he said.

"Alright, I won't try to convince you otherwise. Just remember that you'll always be welcome here." Abelli said with a grin.

Cain gave the Commander a deep bow, "Thank you very much for your hospitality. I'll be on my way now. I have some things I have to look into, as we discussed." With that, Cain turned and began to leave the room. Liliana started to follow him when her superior stopped her.

"Liliana? By the way, I'd like you to serve as Cain's knight for our organization. So just continue as you are and I'll be sure to have Karen help you where necessary. We'll work out the details later." he said with a mischievous wink.

"U- Understood sir!" she said with a quick bow before closing the door and joining Cain, who was waiting for her in the hallway. "What are you planning on doing now?" she asked when she had regained her composure.

"Well, since I'm here, I'd like to go your library." he said simply.

"Ehh? The library?"

"Yea, it was part of our agreement. In exchange for serving the Bronze Black Cross I get unlimited access to your tomes, records and files. There's a few things I'd like to do some digging into." he explained mysteriously.

She nodded in understanding and began to lead him down the hallways, making lefts and rights when required. The trip was silent until Liliana finally asked something that had been bothering her for the past few hours."Cain, are you not worried about the remaining assassin?" Her voice gave away the concern she felt.

He paused and thought about her question for a moment, before shrugging. "Not really."

"But Cain, that man just tried to kill you. He may try again and-" she stopped when he held up his hand.

"People have always tried to kill me. Be it out of greed, envy or hate. After a while you get used to it." he said, shrugging once more.

"You still need to be careful. They could strike at any time." she warned.

"I know, I know. It just doesn't bother me. They can try their best but I refuse to let it affect me anymore. Anyways, which way is it?" he asked.

_How can he be so calm? Has his life truly been so dangerous?_ Liliana thought to herself as she stared at him in a mix of curiosity, admiration and sadness. Like a lone rock jutting out of the waves at sea, the currents push against him, trying to wear him down into the watery depths. But he refuses to back down, fighting to keep himself afloat when all around him are the waves. Like that rock, he stands alone, everything around him worn away by his enemies. Only he remains, the lonely wandering king who has no one but the opponent who seeks his bloody demise.

"Liliana? Liliana? Are you ok? You were staring off into space there." His voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Hn? Ah! Yes, I am alright! Follow me to the library!" she said hastily as she thrust her fist in front of her and started off down the hallway. _A spirit vision, about Cain? Why would that occur?_ She asked herself, confused by what she had seen. She stopped when she heard him call out to her.

"Hey, Liliana?"

"Y-Yes?" she asked, turning around.

He smiled at her, "Thanks. For everything."

His smile seemed to shine like the sun and she covered her face, attempting to block the rays of emotion she felt. "Ahhhn! This way! Follow me!" she yelled as she marched forward. With another smile, more to himself than to anyone watching, he followed after her.

* * *

Minutes after Liliana had closed his office door, Abelli raised an eyebrow as it opened once more. The giant of a man smirked as his newest guest entered.

"Ah, Karen. Come to report your initial findings on those two?" he asked, though it was a rhetorical question. The maid nodded, her smile revealing nothing. "Yes sir."

"Good. Please, sit. How are those two getting along?" he questioned eagerly.

"They've fallen for each other even though they don't know it. Liliana is at his side twenty four/seven, claiming that 'As a knight I must stay close to my king to guard his every move.' It's really quite adorable. Her typical stern demeanour is barely even present when he is around, even less so than when she first encountered King Godou of Japan. And Lord Cain is no less enamoured. He trusts no one but her, yet refuses to reveal the truth about himself to her out of fear of her rejection. However, both are too serious to go about getting intimate as normal people would. Unless we intervene, those two will remain oblivious to the obvious."

Abelli, with his hand rubbing his chin, nodded as he listened to her report. "I see. Very well then. You must show these two blockheads of the heart how to show their true feelings. Do whatever you deem necessary." He smiled and chuckled to himself. "Ah, young love. To think that these two would end up crossing paths. It will certainly be an interesting journey."

"May I get started immediately sir?" Karen requested. Her mischievous smile only served to make Abelli laugh heartily.

"Of course, my dear. Just be sure to keep me informed." She nodded, bid him farewell and left the room, following in the footsteps of her two unsuspecting victims. "This should be fun." Abelli said to himself. Ignoring the massive pile of paperwork in front of him, he turned to gaze out his window at the beautiful city beyond.

* * *

"You know you don't have to stay here with me." Cain said, his eyes just peering over the top of another arcane history book. For the past several hours they had been in the Bronze Black Cross' magnificent, two story library. There were rows upon rows of shelves, each packed to the brim with books. Desks were placed in the centre of this great room for people to read at, with the bookshelves going out in every direction from there. The second story served as a balcony to gaze upon the middle of the library and admire the vast amount of knowledge stored here as much as it did to harbour more books. A large crystalline chandelier twinkled in the light, serving as a centrepiece to this elegant scene.

Cain currently sat at one of these desks. Stacks of books piled high around him, rivalling that of the Commander's paperwork."I mean, you've been gone from your headquarters," he continued, "and you've no doubt got other responsibilities than watching me. We haven't even known each other for that long so I'd understand if you have better things to do."

Ever since they had arrived, Liliana had been standing as a silent guard, surveying their surroundings for any sign of danger. Even with his reassurance, she still believed the threat of the assassin to be very serious. She shook her head in reply. "The Commander assigned me to continue serving you. Therefore it is my duty to stay by your side." Noticing his frown, she added "Do not worry Cain, this is the role I have chosen and I take pride in it."

Cain sighed in frustration. He felt guilty for taking up so much of Liliana's time. He had never had or needed a servant or bodyguard before, not to say he didn't appreciate her efforts, just that he didn't feel they were entirely necessary. Cain looked at the clock standing to the side of the tables. The hands read 'five-thirty'. He closed the book he had been reading and stood up. "Alright, well that's enough research for today."

Liliana perked up at this. "What are your plans now, Cain? It may be wise to search for accommodations for this evening."

He nodded in response. "Yea, that's what I was thinking. I just need to put these books back and then we can leave."

Earlier, when he had taken the massive amount of tomes and reports from the shelves, he had made a list with the names, shelf numbers and row numbers of each book so as he could remember where they all went. As he had been reading, he had put a check mark beside every book that he had finished so he could know which he did not need to take out again. Using this thoughtful list, the two, upon Liliana's insistence, began replacing the tomes. About halfway through this process, Cain returned to the table and discovered a book that did not belong.

It was a small, black hard cover that did not fit with the leather-bound, typewritten or printed reports that he had been reading through. Eyebrows furrowed with confusion, he wondered how such a book had ended up on his pile. He flipped through the pages, intent on discovering some information on it so he could return it to the owner or it's place on the shelves. It was handwritten, beautifully so at that. The language was Italian but that was of no issue to him. One of the passive abilities magi and Campione gained was the comprehension of languages, written and oral. Even if he did not have this however, Italian was already known to him. He began to read one of the entries.

_Forlorn. That was what she felt. As if her heart had been thrown to the very bottom of the tower she now stood upon. Chantelle clutched the pearls around her neck as if they were a life line. For hours she had been waiting, watching as cars bustled in the streets below her and people moved this way and that. Lights shone from countless windows, bringing forth the merriment of a summer's evening that she herself could not possess. The wind billowed through her chestnut hair and she brushed it aside woefully._

_She heard a man's laugh behind her and quickly turned, eager to see his face. But when she did she found that it was instead someone she did not know, holding onto a woman she also did not recognize. They walked by, whispering and quietly giggling to one another as they also gazed at the city from it's most romantic and scenic point. Chantelle leaned against the railing of the Eiffel Tower, on the verge of tears. He had asked her to meet him here, saying he had something important to discuss, so where was he?_

_It was then that a familiar voice spoke from behind her. "Hello, my dear." he said breathlessly. Moisture clouded her eyes as she turned and saw the man she had been awaiting for so long. "Jean!" she cried as she jumped into his open arms. He clutched her tightly as she wept tears of relief._

_"My apologies, my dear. I could not escape from my family for much longer than I had expected." he said sincerely._

_"But Jean, must we only love in secret? It is not as if-" she began, but she was swiftly interrupted._

_"No, we must remain so for now. I must convince my family that I cannot marry Mia. In the mean time, I brought you something. Both to apologize for my lateness and to promise for the future." he said, his tone sweet and firm._

_He knelt down before her, retrieving a box from his pocket. When he opened it, she gasped in shock and delight. Within was a brilliant diamond ring, of such exquisite value that it seemed to belong in a Maharajah's collection. He followed with those fated words._

_"Chantelle, would you do me the honour of marrying me?" he asked, his voice almost breaking as emotion swept through him._

_"Oh Jean! Oh yes, of course!" she cried. With that she fell into his arms and their lips connected._

Cain closed the book. Inside, a scene was depicted of a young man and woman in Paris falling into forbidden love. Quite cliche. His eyebrows once more furrowed in confusion. _How the heck did this end up in my pile?_ He thought to himself as he clutched the diary in his hands. He felt terrible for having read someone's personal journal like that, but he also felt it was necessary to figure out information about it. It was then that he noticed Liliana walking towards him, having just returned from replacing another pile of books.

"Hey Liliana, do you know anything about this book?" he asked, holding up the item in question for her to see.

"Hmm, why no I don- " she froze halfway towards him. She wore an expression of absolute horror which made him worry.

"Liliana, are you ok?" he asked slowly, surprised by his companion's sudden shift in behaviour.

In the next instant, Liliana was in front of him, her sword point pressed against his chestplate. Caught off guard by this sudden attack, he could not distance himself in time. Her silver hair covered her face from his view as she stared at the floor. "Release that book from your grasp! How could I have been so foolish as to believe us to be fated?! You know about my hobby so now I must silence you and then end my life as well!" Angry, ashamed tears filled her eyes as she made this declaration of murder-suicide.

"Wait! Liliana, calm down! LILIANA!" he yelled, trying to bring reason to this suddenly emotional girl. "What the hell is going on!?"

From behind a nearby bookshelf, a certain maid chuckled evilly as her plan came to fruition.


End file.
